COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, May 26, 2026 12:23 p.m. PRESENT: COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS, CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS, VICE-CHAIR COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN RUE LANDAU
Mr. Byrd, will you please call the roll to take attendance. Members that are in attendance will please indicate that you are present when your name is called.
Thank you. A quorum of the committee is present and the hearing is now called to order. This is the public hearing of the Committee of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs regarding Bill 14 Nos. 260430, 260424 and Resolution 15 No. 260346, which was previously recessed on May 11th. Clerk, will you please read the titles of the legislation.
Bill No. 20 260430, authorizing the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a multi-year lease agreement with the Fairmount Park Conservancy, under which the City would lease to the Conservancy portions of the City- owned premises known as Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park for the Conservancy’s use, operation, management, maintenance, and repair, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 260424, establishing temporary parking regulations, and enforcement thereof, and temporary residential and guest parking permits for the vicinity of: the area bounded by the intersection of North 21st Street and North College Avenue, North 21st Street, Master Street, North 25th Street, Cecil B. Moore Avenue, North 33rd Street, West Oxford Street, West Glenwood Avenue, North 32nd Street and continuing along the railroad boundary south from North 32nd Street at West Thompson Street to the intersection of Aspen Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Hamilton Street, North 21st Street, Fairmount Avenue, Corinthian Avenue, Brown Street, North 21st Street, Poplar Street, Corinthian Avenue, South College Avenue, Poplar Street, West College Avenue, North College Avenue to the intersection of North College Avenue and North 21st Street, all under certain terms and conditions. Resolution No. 260346, authorizing Council’s Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold public hearings for applicants seeking nomination to serve on the Commission on Parks and Recreation and further authorizing the Committee to recommend for Council’s consideration nominations to be forwarded to the Mayor.
Mr. Byrd, will you please call the first panel we have to testify on Bill No. 260430. Please approach the witness stand once he calls the panel. Mr. Byrd, call the panelists.
Panel 1, Susan Slawson, Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Thank you, Commissioner, for approaching the witness table. Please state your name for the record and please proceed with your testimony. ) COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Good afternoon, Chairman Phillips, Vice-Chair Bass and members of the Committee on Parks and Recreation, Cultural Affairs. My name is Susan Slawson and I'm Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. I'm here today with Robert Allen, Director of Property and Concessions Management for Parks and Recreation. And I'm here to testify in support of City Council Bill No. 260430, an ordinance 9 authorizing a 26-year lease agreement with the Fairmount Park Conservancy for the management, operation and maintenance of the FDR Park Welcome Center, Anna C. Verna Playground and Gateway Plaza. The Fairmount Park Conservancy is a nonprofit corporation organized and operating for the sole purpose of advancing and supporting the City's park system. The Conservancy has a strong connection to FDR Park, having served as project lead for the creation of a master plan to transform FDR Park into a centerpiece of recreation, ecological art and design. In 2022, the Conservancy served as the project manager for the construction, renovation and restoration of the three spaces within FDR Park that comprise the leased premises. The Welcome Center is the anchor of FDR Park, and it sits between the Gateway and the Anna C. Verna Playground. The Welcome Center serves as a hub for all park-related activities and includes a new visitor center, offices for park staff, facilities for three food and beverage operators and community spaces for public and private events. The playground is a very popular two-acre, all-ages inclusive playground that features a swing structure and custom- 23 designed birdhouse structures with 24 slides and climbing areas. The Gateway Plaza is designed to be the front door of FDR Park, facing the Stadium District and several public transit stops. It serves as a meeting point and entryway for park visitors. Parks and Recreation determined that to ensure the premises is preserved for future generations and maintain at the very highest level, it would be desirable to transfer management of the three spaces to an organization that can fundraise for their ongoing maintenance and return the spaces to active use by the public. Parks and Recreation believes that the Conservancy is uniquely prepared and equipped to manage, operate and maintain these spaces due to its close connection with FDR Park and ongoing FDR Park project management. Parks and Recreation is in discussions with the Fairmount Park Conservancy to finalize a proposed lease agreement with the Conservancy with a term of up to years. 3 million contribution to the 8 Welcome Center's total project. It 9 will enable the Conservancy to 10 enter into a long-term agreement 11 with a concessionaire or 12 concessionaires in support of the 13 level of capital investment, and 14 concessionaires will be required to 15 make to fit-out the concession 16 spaces. 17 The term also enables 18 Parks and Recreation and the 19 Conservancy to plan for the level 20 of capital investment required for 21 future capital replacements and 22 repairs. Additional key provisions 23 of the agreement include: The 24 Conservancy will maintain, program and operate the premises for the benefit of the public. The Conservancy, with Parks and Recreation participation, will solicit a concessionaire or concessionaires through an RFP process to operate catered events and food and beverage concessions at the Welcome Center. All concession fee income will be used to fund the operations and maintenance of the Welcome Center, the Playground and the Gateway, and an agreed-upon administrative fee to the Conservancy. The Welcome Center will be operated as a public facility, providing visitor information space for park visitors to rest and buy food and beverages, and free meeting space for community organizations on a first come, first serve basis.
The Conservancy will develop a capital replacement schedule for replacement of all major capital items on the premise over the full duration of the lease on or before the third anniversary of the lease. The Conservancy will establish a capital reserve account to which funds will be deposited annually in accordance with the requirements of the capital replacement schedule. The lease does not obligate the City to appropriate or spend money at any time during the term of the lease. The Fairmount Park Conservancy has been a valued partner of Parks and Recreation for 28 years. We are confident in its ability to provide the highest level of service to the public at the FDR Park Welcome Center Complex. We support this legislation and respectfully ask that City Council approve Bill No. 2 260430. I'm also requesting a suspension of the rules so as to allow for first reading at the next session of City Council. Finally, I would like to thank the bill's sponsor, Council President Kenyatta Johnson, for his ongoing support of FDR Park. And I'm glad to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you, Commissioner. Can you please state your name for the record? Do you have any testimony or you're good?
Thank you, Bob. Are there any questions from members of the committee? The Chair recognizes Vice-Chair Bass.
Thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony. It sounds like an exciting project. And I was just wondering if you could talk a little bit about minority participation, as to how it will relate in the construction and then the operation of the site? COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Thank you for that question. We have had extensive conversations with staff, with the Conservancy to ensure that the community can -- we're taking actually a page from your insistence on the Horticultural Center, ensuring that we have opportunities for just regular people that don't make millions of dollars to come in and use the facility. We've built in specific days that are not those key days, but there will be days set aside, to days every year, where you 7 can come in and you don't have to 8 use the concessionaire that's 9 actually housed inside the 10 facility. That's one of the things 11 that happened as a result of you 12 ensuring that if you're going to use the Hort Center, everybody needs to be able to use it. So we are putting those in place before we even sign a contract to make sure that every day -- this is for community. It is not just for those that are financially capable of coming in and paying $100 for a plate so we have definitely built that into the lease and we are still having conversations to ensure that we can open our doors to anyone.
Well, thank you so much. And that means a lot. We had the conversation and we had it with the previous administration about the need for these facilities to really be able to be open and accessible for everyone. And some of the concessionaires that are really good vendors, but also they come at a price point that a lot of Philadelphians really just can't connect to these facilities. So I'm glad to hear that, that there will be opportunities for folks to bring in their own, you know, something that they can afford. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Yes, they can bring in their -- they're going to be time-set. They can bring in their own caterers. Our goal is to ensure that it's inclusive. And that has to be done on the front end, not the back end, and that's what we're doing.
Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the committee? The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this hearing. Thank you, Commissioner Slawson and your team, for being all about Parks & Rec. For the piece with the FDR, I want to recognize the fact that we have a strip of park that we are looking forward to involvement in, and that is on Parkside Avenue from the fountain that they are restoring. And there's a project to restore these Gothic historic fountains in my district to kind of increasing the available play space throughout the -- can you talk a little bit about that? COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: And so, there is -- and that's one of those partnerships with the Fairmount Park Conservancy that they've been able to raise over $5 million to ensure that that fountain is restored. In the Centennial District, which is an iconic area, it's right in front of Memorial Hall and it's been out for some time. And so, the Conservancy has worked with the William Penn Foundation. They've raised separate monies to ensure that we will have this fountain up and running, not just up and running, but restored 100%.
The second thing that I would like you to speak to, which is one of Member Bass' issues, is the concessions. There's a concession at Belmont Plateau that used to be vibrant. It has been closed I don't know how long. But are there any plans to bring it back? Imagine that concession selling hot dogs and hamburgers at the Roots Picnic? They may have made enough money for the whole year. So is there any plans for that particular -- because I know it's in bad shape. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Councilmember Jones, that is a really good question. Right now there are no plans, but I think that's something as I sit here and talk about the partnership -- they are a fundraising tool for Parks and Recreation. That is a conversation that we can begin to have with the Conservancy and begin to look at funding and ideas of how we can bring that back to life.
So you might want to consider a rate that says only at Plateau events should this place be open or you could do it year-round. We have track and field, cross country competitions out there on Saturdays and Sundays, so there is an opportunity for them to make some change. So if you would look at that and please tell us what it would cost to bring it up to speed, to make it safe and to open it back up, and there might be some consideration of capital budget that might be lended towards that effort. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: That would be wonderful. And maybe we could talk about a design initially and we could discuss what that would cost, so we could come up with some actual numbers or what it would cost to restore and to repair that concession area, because it is a beautiful place. I mean, you get to see the entire city from at the Plateau and there's good reason to have that restored, so we can definitely have that conversation with them as well as with you to talk about it.
Appreciate you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Thank you.
Thank you, Councilmember Jones. Any other questions for the committee? (No response.)
Great questions from Councilmember Curtis Jones and Councilmember Cindy Bass. And thank you so much for this incredible new amenity. Hopefully all of our parks can get something similar to this at some point. Thanks, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Thank you. Thank you so much for having us.
Thank you. Mr. Byrd, will you please call the next panel.
Kevin Roche, Chief of Staff, Fairmount Park Conservancy. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good afternoon. Can you please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Kevin Roche. First of all, thank you to the Committee Chair, Councilmember Phillips, Vice-Chair Councilmember Bass and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kevin Roche. I'm Chief of Staff for Fairmount Park Conservancy. On behalf of the Conservancy, I'm testifying in support of the ordinance to authorize a lease agreement for the Fairmount Park -- sorry, excuse me, the FDR Park Welcome Center and vicinity. Fairmount Park Conservancy is proud to be the City of Philadelphia's partner in implementing the FDR Park Plan. Released in 2019, the Park Plan is a long-term historic investment to ensure that this signature Philadelphia park is accessible and welcoming to 21st century park users and prepared for the immediate and long-term challenges of a changing climate. In 2025, the Conservancy completed the construction of the FDR Park Welcome Center. This space has a $12 million adaptive reuse of the former park guardhouse that was built in 1919, and the horse stables is made possible through a public-private partnership between the city and the Conservancy. The project preserved the building's historic character while also re-envisioning it to set a new standard for Philadelphia park operations and visitor experiences. The new Welcome Center is LEED Gold-certified and features public restrooms, an open- air courtyard with food and beverage concession spaces, a public terrace overlooking the Pattison Lagoon, a large meeting and event space, offices for park staff and program partners and space for visitor information center and a cafe. The Welcome Center is four distinct spaces. The public terrace, courtyard, event space and park offices are designed with public access as the highest priority. They're equipped to function independently, and access to public-facing amenities and operational spaces will not be affected by private meetings and events. The Welcome Center is designed to meet community needs and address park user concerns identified during the 18-month park planning period. In a robust community engagement process, the project team spoke to over 3000 community members and stakeholders through surveys, paid park ambassadors, stakeholder interviews, community meetings and community design workshops. The community engagement process and site assessments highlighted the need for basic amenities in the park that a welcome center could provide, such as restrooms, seating, water fountains and food and drink opportunities that would make longer visits to the park possible. Food and beverages were among the top 10 most requested program elements for the park's redesign. In addition, the planning process identified an absence of centralized park information, leaving room for improvement to create a coherent park-user experience that maximizes the diverse amenities across 348 acres and a full calendar of events, activities, and programming. The completed welcome center is designed and equipped to achieve all of these needs and is well-positioned at the park's main gateway to set the tone for the entire park experience. Since the unveiling of the FDR Park Plan in 2019, the Conservancy has continued to engage with the park-user community through hands-on workshops, public meetings, stakeholder interviews, surveys, virtual open houses, in-person tours, public programs and volunteer days. The Conservancy is committed to ensuring that the completed capital projects in FDR Park, the Gateway Plaza, the Anna C. Verna Playground and the Welcome Center are maintained and operated to the maximum public benefit. The Conservancy now seeks a long-term lease for the Welcome Center to fulfill the design functions for the facility. Our vision for the Welcome Center is that it is a staffed, well-maintained, accessible and welcoming to all park users. We want to ensure that the Welcome Center provides information, amenities and free and low-cost events to enhance park- user experiences.
This will include selling food and beverage options at an inclusive range of price points and offering an event and meeting space. As Philadelphia Parks and Recreation's nonprofit partner, the Conservancy has designed the proposed retail amenities and event space rental program to serve the public and generate revenue that will cover the cost of operating the entire welcome center at a high level of guest experience and provide funding for enhanced park maintenance and operations to benefit all park users. Concessions offered by Philadelphia businesses will have the added benefit of generating positive economic impact through local contracts and job opportunities. We're grateful to be in conversation with Philadelphia Parks and Rec about the future of the park's gateway, including the Plaza, Playground, and Welcome Center. We believe a public- private partnership at the Welcome Center, guided by the community- informed Park Plan, represents an exciting opportunity to fulfill requests from park users and stakeholders and provide excellent park conditions and experiences. Thank you to the committee for your leadership and commitment to our city's public spaces and for your consideration of this bill.
Thank you so much for your testimony, Kevin. Are there any questions from members of the committee? The Chair recognizes Councilmember Rue Landau.
Thank you so much for coming to testify for us today. I think this welcome center is going to be a very great addition to FDR Park. One of the things I love the most about FDR is how diverse the people are who use it. Will the Welcome Center have signs and information translated into many languages? And are you keeping this in mind when you are looking at who would be available for food concessions and types of foods and stuff?
Yeah, great question. Certainly, we want to design all elements of the user experience to reach a multitude of users. We're very aware of the range of user groups that operate in the park and depend on information. So while we're still in the process of negotiating the lease with Philadelphia Parks & Rec, we certainly intend to have information communicated in a number of languages to communicate to the park user groups. So information that will be available to the Welcome Center, upcoming events, things of that nature, our park programming would certainly want to include all those user groups.
Thank you so much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones.
Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for what you do and thank you for being the deep-pocketed philanthropic end of the Commissioner's ability to support our parks. We truly appreciate what you're going to do in different sections other than FDR Park. I know our President represents that. But I just want you to know as a District Councilperson, we appreciate what you do in the 4th District in conjunction with some of our institutions. Those fountains out there are going to be iconic, are iconic but when they're fully operational, iconic. That and the Welsh Fountain is another fountain that we want to begin restoring them. Imagine not having to have 52 weeks' worth of shutting down the Parkway and being able to pull some of that up into the western end of the park, which is Concourse East and West. So your planning, your philanthropic fundraising is the reason we're looking optimistically at that. So thank you.
Well, thank you so much. As mentioned, we're also very hard at work on the Welsh Fountain project and very excited at some recent funding from the state and are super excited to get started on that project to deliver or revitalize Welsh Fountain for the community there.
Thank you so much for your testimony. Again, any other questions from members of the committee? (No response.)
Seeing none, thank you so much. Mr. Byrd, will you call the next panel.
Okay. Thank you. That concludes testimony on Bill No. 260430. We will now move to Bill 15 No. 260424. Mr. Byrd, will you please call the first panel to testify on Bill No 260424.
Corrine O'Connor, Deputy Executive Director, Philadelphia Parking Authority, PPA. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good afternoon. As already spoken, my name is Corinne O'Connor. I'm Deputy Executive Director of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 6 260424. In preparation of FIFA's Fan Fest being hosted in Lemon Hill from June 11, 2026 until July 19, 2026, this ordinance is presented to Council to support surrounding community in this area. The City of Philadelphia plans are not only (inaudible) all World Cup games but also hosting variety of events every day during this time, a time frame for Philadelphia residents and visitors to enjoy. Bill No. 260424 is designed to minimize the impact on the parking needs of those living within the design boundaries of Council Bill 260424, in reference to Residential Permit Parking District No. 17 and District 6. The virtual permits will be supplied to vehicles registered within these two zones, along with two physical day passes and no cost to the resident. Any vehicle not assigned a virtual pass or a physical visitor pass will be enforced. By making these temporary amendments to the traffic code, the Authority believes that this will create a much smoother commute for the residents living in the Lemon Hill area during this very important time in Philadelphia history. We are therefore in support of this legislation. I'm happy to answer any questions from the committee.
Thank you so much for your testimony. Are there any questions from members of the committee? The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones.
So we are so very excited -- you can hear the sirens in the background -- about Lemon Hill, and the experience that for 40 days, people will be able to come out, and I invite my colleagues to come out, to have some lemonade on Lemon Hill with your Councilman to watch any of the games, these soccer matches from around the world. For 40 days, we are going to be watching and rooting for your -- and I'm really scared about which team to root for because they take it very seriously. But the experience is juxtaposed with the impact of the community. Like in South Philadelphia when they have a big event at one of the stadiums, the Phillies, the Eagles, the Flyers, the Sixers, that neighborhood is protected. Red cups won't appear on their lawns, people won't be parking in their spots and that plan is one that they just whip out and you have it prepared, correct?
How is that compared to what we will experience on Lemon Hill?
So Lemon Hill, being that it's a much larger map, it's about 400 blocks. We're going to have staff assigned to those areas every day. So depending on the event, some events are larger, as we know. Some games will be more popular than others.
Correct. And some days it could be 20,000. Then some days where there aren't any games and there's other activities going on, they expect maybe 5,000 to 10,000. So based on what event is planned in Lemon Hill, then we'll have the staffing. We've instituted a no-vacation policy on a couple days with staff that are going to be needed to support all these programs, such as our park and enforcement officers and our tow truck operators, and they'll be assigned for that specific district to make sure they're out there patrolling and that the residents -- we also expanded it to include businesses, who will get a certain amount of passes. That way it doesn't affect people that are in there and they've been in there for years selling coffee or a hair salon. They still get to operate and have their normal business.
So imagine, Mr. Chairman, Ogontz Avenue Festival for 40 days. That's what we will be facing. So I'm thankful that there is a plan. I'm thankful to Commissioner Slawson, who will be briefing stakeholders in the community today and coming up with any tweaks that we might need to the plan. So thank you for your testimony.
Thank you so much, Councilman. Yes, Ogontz Avenue having a festival for 30 days would be a lot. I don't think it will be manageable at all so I understand your concern. All right. Thank you for your testimony. Any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)
Thank you. Seeing none, Mr. Byrd, will you please call the next panel.
Okay. That concludes testimony of Bill No. 240430 -- I'm sorry. That was 424. That concludes testimony on Bill No. 260424. We will now move to public comment. We ask that all speakers keep their comments to 60 seconds or less. Mr. Byrd, will you please read the names for public comment. Is there anyone for public comment?
Thank you. That concludes the public hearing on Bill Nos. 260430 and -- is there anyone in the rostrum for public comment? (No response.)
5 Okay. That concludes the public 6 hearing on Bill Nos. 260430 and 7 260424 and Resolution No. 260346. 8 There being no further 9 questions from members of the 10 committee and no other public 11 witnesses to testify on Bill Nos. 12 260430, 260424 and Resolution 13 260346, I will ask if there's 14 anyone else present in the hearing 15 whose name we have failed to call 16 that wishes to offer testimony on 17 the bills and resolutions being 18 considered today? 19 (No response.) 20
21 Hearing none, I want to thank the 22 panels and witnesses for their 23 participation today and we value 24 your opinions. I now invite all panels and witnesses to please disconnect from the hearing before -- that concludes the public hearing on the committee. We will now go into a public meeting to consider the action to be taken on bills and resolutions before the committee today. We will now convene the public meeting. Clerk, will you please call the roll to take attendance. Members that are in attendance will please indicate that you are present when your name is called. Also, please say a few brief words when responding so that your image will be displayed on the -- wow, this is the wrong one. My apologies. Clerk, will you please call the roll to take attendance. Members that are present, please indicate that you are present when your name is called.
Thank you. We will now go into a public meeting to consider the action to be taken on bills and resolutions on today's agenda. The Chair recognizes also the attendance of Councilmember Rue Landau.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Bass for a motion on Bill No. 13 260430.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 19 260430 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation, and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Curtis Jones seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 8 260430 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation, and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair now recognizes Vice-Chair Bass for a motion on Bill No. 260424.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 260424. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee, and I move that the amendment to Bill No. 11 260424 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. The Chair notes for the record that Councilman Isaiah Thomas and Councilman Jones seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 260424 be approved. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. An amendment to Bill No. 260424 has been approved. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Vice-Chair Bass for a motion on Bill No. 260424 as amended.
Yeah, it's thank you, Mr. Chair. I moved the bill as amended.
I'm sorry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 19 260424 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Vice-Chair Bass seconds -- Councilmember Jones seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 11 260424 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation, and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. Thank you -- so the eyes have it. The motion carries. Thank you. The Chair notes for the record that -- sorry about that. One second. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Thomas for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 14 260424 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.
You know what, thank you so much. We did it already. Carry on. Disregard, that was my error. Don't worry about that. We're going to move forward. On May 11th, the Committee met in executive session for the purpose of discussing the applications for the Commission on Parks and Recreation. The Committee is now ready to vote on the nominations that we will submit to the full Council for consideration. Before we proceed with the remainder of today's hearing, I would like to take a moment to recognize the strength of the applicant pool for the Commission. This process brought forward a wide range of individuals from across the city who are deeply committed to our parks, recreation centers and public spaces. The level of experience, passion and community engagement demonstrated by the applicants has been truly impressive. The pool reflects a diverse cross-section of Philadelphia and we are confident that the nominees selected today represent the skills, perspectives, and commitment necessary to help guide the future parks and recreation in our city. It has been an honor for this Committee to review these applications and hear directly from many of the candidates. At this time, I recognize Vice-Chair Bass to announce the individuals selected by this Committee to be recommended for nomination to the Commission on Parks and Recreation.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The list of applicants selected for nominations include Anthony Meadows; Dustin Dove; Elaine Smith Holton; Elizabeth Class-Maldonado; Gregory Allen; James Williams; Jim Marino; Joseph Meiman; Josephs Dafils; Kadafi El-Kardah; Khalil Salaam; Kiasha Huling; Krystal Dillard; Leroy Fisher; Melissa Young; Michael Shipp; Nadiyya McGill; Nafissa Bizo; Olivia Scanlon; Pamia Coleman; Quentin Ellison; Rebecca Cordes Chan; Saphangela Hill; Sarah Stevenson; and Shannon Wink.
Thank you, Vice-Chair Bass. I now recognize you, Vice-Chair Bass, for a motion on the nominations.
I move that this Committee's recommendation -- I move that this Committee recommends the following nominees to the full Council, and we already read the names.
So that's a motion. Can we get a second? (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that nominees be recommended to the full Council -- to the full Commission. All those present in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. The next step in this process is for these recommendations to be introduced by resolution before the full City Council. Upon adoption by Council, the nominations will then be forwarded to the Mayor, who will appoint members of the Commission in accordance with the City Charter. We thank all applicants who participated in this process for their time, commitment and willingness to serve Philadelphia. Your interest and engagement is a testament of the importance of this work in the future of our public spaces. There being no further business before the Committee today, this concludes the business of the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Thank you all so much for your attendance.
Thank you. (Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs concluded at 1:10 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. _______________________________ TANEHA CARROLL