COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURAL AFFAIRS - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, June 11, 1998 10:15 a.m. - - - BILL 980446 - An Ordinance renaming the Cobbs Creek Skate House in the Park to the Laura Simms Skate House in Cobbs Creek Park. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER, Chair COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO, Vice Chair COUNCILWOMAN HAPPY FERNANDEZ COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO COUNCILWOMAN ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center Plaza, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220. 2 I N D E X BILL 980446 Donna Sims, Member, Advisory Board, Cobbs Creek Skate House In The Park---------------- Delores Capers, President, Cobbs Creek Advisory Board---------------------------------------- 6 Nanzetta Leavy, Member, Board of Advisory Council, Cobbs Creek Skate House------------- 7 Carole Chew Williams, Representative, State Rep. Anthony H. Williams--------------------- 17 8 Charles Hammock, Representative, Sam Evans----- 23 9 - - - 10 PUBLIC MEETING--------------------------------- 26 11 - - - 12 13 14 15 3 BILL 980446
Good morning. This is a special Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. And this committee is now in session. In attendance this morning, for purposes of a quorum, is Councilwoman Krajewski, Councilwoman Anna Verna, Councilman Nutter, Councilman Longstreth, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, and I am Donna Reed Miller, Councilwoman and Chair of this committee. Will the clerk please read the title of the bill.
Bill No. 980446, an Ordinance renaming the Cobbs Creek Skate House in the Park to the Laura Sims Skate House in Cobbs Creek Park.
Thank you. Is there any one here to testify for or against this bill? Can Miss Donna Sims please come to the witness able, and Delores Capers. For the record, we have been joined by Councilwoman Fernandez and Councilman Rizzo. Is there an order of preference as to 4 BILL 980446 who goes first? Miss Sims, you are scheduled to speak first. Please state your name, and spell your last name, and any other identifying information for the record.
Good morning. My name is Donna Sims. I am on the Advisory Board of the Cobbs Creek Skate House in the Park. The last name is spelled S-I-M-S. We are here today -- first, I can't really begin without first giving honor to God for allowing us to be here, just for allowing everything that is taking place this day, just for allowing it to take place. We thank Councilwoman Blackwell and Mr. Blackwell for the years of support that they have given the skate house and the people of West Philadelphia. Not only for their support, but for the way they delivered their support. My mother, Laura Sims, truly appreciated them and appreciated their manner and their support. We are thankful for those people who 5 BILL 980446 have come out today to be with us, our other Board members, our family and friends, and the children from Turner Middle School, who were one of the first children who were part of our school program at the Cobbs Creek Skate House. They were also the children who originally named the rink Cobbs Creek Skate House. So we thank them, their principal, Mr. DelFonzo, their teacher, Nan Levy for bringing them here today to show their support. We thank you for honoring my mother, Laura Sims. Mother had a very gentle, very sweet and caring spirit. Those of you who no her, know that -- you know that about her. Everything that you saw, magnify that by ten, and that's what she was like at home. Everything that she did, we know it will live on. Not only in the organizations and the lives that she touched, but in just -- in the children of the community. In every aspect we look around and we see her, her touch. And to say that we miss her, and she just went home to be with the Lord two months ago, 6 BILL 980446 is a tremendous understatement. But we see her every day. We see her in the children's eyes. We see her in the way that she -- just the way she approached things. And we are so pleased and blessed that the Councilwoman would seek to honor her today. Mother was involved with the skate house and with many other organizations. And because of her, I would just say, her very sincere, unselfish support, many of those -- not many; all of them will continue on. She used to say, it is not what you do in this life, it is what continues on once you are gone. If it stops once you leave, then something was wrong. It is what continues on long after you are gone. So it is really hard to tell all of you about my mother, about Laura Sims. Many of you have met her and you know her. But for those who did not, we know that she is still alive. Everything that made her who she is, it is still very much alive, and we will see her again. But here on this earth, we know that 7 BILL 980446 those things will continue to live on in the work that she has done. The skate house was something that I grew up with seeing, seeing her work on from the time I was in high school. I would go to bed at night, and my mother was on her knees praying. I would wake up the next morning, and she was still on her knees. And that said something to me, that quiet spirit. And other times she would be on her knees. Next time, 5 o'clock in the morning, she would be on the phone calling people and talking to people and writing letters. And I think that the greatest lesson she taught us was that, if you believe in something, you just never, ever give up. And her vision was for the children. It was for the children of our community, that they have access to something that she felt they were being denied. And when people told us that black children don't ice skate, my mother would -- she was a very quiet and very demure woman, but it incensed her. But, she was incensed in a very quiet and 8 BILL 980446 dignified way, but it just made her stronger. So I applaud that strength because it has taught us all lessons. And we vow to continue the work that she began.
And I am very pleased to say that with the group that we have, and the Board that we have, I believe that it will continue, with much prayer. So that's primarily what I want to say. As you honor my mother today, you are really honoring that spirit that I think she shared with all of us. And she was truly a selfless woman. She never wanted anything for herself. She never did. And there are people who are like that in public, and then they are different behind the closed doors. Magnify that, and that's what she was like at home. So I am very thankful that God blessed us with her for a short time. I am very thankful.
Thank you, Miss Sims. Are there any questions of this witness? 9 BILL 980446 (Applause.)
Madam Chair, I only wanted to say, I passed out copies to my colleagues here -- all the neighbors have seen it -- of the article that was in the West Side Weekly, written by Tyrie Johnson. And the article says that, quote, She was a perfect lady, a classy lady, recalled Lucien Blackwell, the former Congressman, who, when he was the neighborhood City Councilman, pushed the legislation through to get the skate house built. Lucien Blackwell remembers how Miss Sims used to call him nearly every morning when he was Councilman in the '70s, even the days he was working on the waterfront. I remember when Lou was in the middle of a strike -- and you SEPTA folks will appreciate being in the middle of a strike -- and there is a little lady on the phone saying, "Mr. Blackwell, Mr. Blackwell, what about my rink?" And it was like that. When the late Charles Durne became a judge and Lucien came here, the first person who approached him was Miss Laura Sims. And she said, "I want an ice rink." 10 BILL 980446 And my colleagues will respect the fact that when we looked around in the budget, it wasn't there. You know, in between the time somebody goes and somebody comes, anything can happen to your projects. But Mrs. Sims made sure he found out that it was there. I quote again. When some neighbors rose up against a proposal because they felt it would attract juvenile gang activity, Blackwell said it was Mrs. Sims who led the fight to keep the project alive and on course. Today, added Blackwell, because of her, the community has one of the finest ice rinks in the country. And this was stated certainly by the Flyers, that we have the best in the region. And let me finally say to her daughter, Donna and her son John, we thank you both for being here, and all the members of the community. That I remembered when we were near completion and Mrs. Sims said, "We want to name this rink after you, Mr. Blackwell." And he said, "No, let's not do that." And so it is ironic and a blessing for us to be able 11 BILL 980446 to in some way say we loved her and thank you by naming it after her. Thank you.
Excuse me. May I add one point? This is just ten seconds. One thing that is very important to add, we now have a young man that is in training for the Olympics. And I think you need to know that. He is a national champion. He has come from West Philadelphia. So visions, this is really for the future. And with these children who are from Turner, you never know who your future Olympians are. They are the children who live right next door. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. Do any members of the committee have any questions for Ms. Sims? The second witness then is Ms. Delores Capers. 12 BILL 980446 Ms. Capers, please state your name and your title for the record.
Thank you. My name is Delores Capers. The last name is spelled C-A-P-E-R-S. I am the newly elected President of the Cobbs Creek Advisory Board. I served as Vice-President under Laura Sims. So it is indeed my honor and my pleasure that the Advisory Board has put their confidence in me. Those of you who new Ms. Sims, she was a small woman, but she was big of heart and big of spirit. So I have some real big shoes to fill. I also have a second reason for being in support of this particular naming of the facility after Ms. Sims. My brother who is an architect, Theodore Capers, Jr., was the major architect for designing the skate house. And he is deceased eight years ago, and it was because of him that I became involved with the skate house and the Advisory Board. The skate house is more than just an ice-skating rink. We have a number of programs that 13 BILL 980446 are available to the community. During the summer now, we have roller hockey, we have roller-skating. We have opened the rink so that the children will not have to skate on the streets in West Philadelphia, and being a safe environment away from traffic, and other people. We have arts and crafts. We do aerobics there. We are desperately in need of a community room so that we can expand the programs that we are doing. And this is something that Ms. Sims had worked diligently on, and was trying to get some additional funding. So Councilwoman Blackwell and the rest of the Council, you will be hearing from us again in the future, so that we can get those funds. I am very pleased that the Advisory Board members and officers, we have a newly elected Vice-President, Irma Parker. And she is the mother of Duane Parker, the young man that Donna mentioned who is here. We are all committed that we are going to carry on the tradition that Laura Sims started with the skate house. We will be planning 14 BILL 980446 an appropriate dedication some time in the fall, and will be contacting the Councilmembers and the Mayor's Office and Recreation Department and all those organizations she was involved with. So we thank you, Councilwoman Blackwell, and her husband, Lucien. At the day of the funeral they made the announcement that they wanted to rename this skate house in honor of her. And I am so glad that has come to fruition in such a small period of time. And her legacy will carry on. Not only in the name, but in the activities that we are going to have there. And I thank you very much.
Are there any questions of this witness from committee members? Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Sims. Thank you, Ms. Capers. I need to make note for the record that we have been joined at the table by Councilman Mariano and Councilwoman Tasco. 15 BILL 980446 The next two witnesses can both come to the table, Carole Chew Williams and Nanzetta Leavy.
While they are sitting, let me add that Councilman Rizzo reminds me that Lucien put in a call to his father. And we know the old days, the problems we had with Blackwell and Rizzo, and so many members of our community with Mayor Rizzo. But certainly that changed before he passed, and he was certainly involved. I thank the Councilman for reminding me. He said he was around when his late father took the call. So even though we had our battles during those days, which were later healed, in some projects everybody works together. And this was one that everybody agreed was great for the community.
Thank you. Please identify yourself for the record, and spell your last name and even your first name. It was one of those difficult names. And we can start with Nanzetta Leavy. 16 BILL 980446
Nanzetta Leavy. I am on the Board of the Advisory Council of the Cobbs Creek Skate House. I am also the President Emeritus of the Friends of Cobbs Creek Park. Today it gives me great pleasure to come before the Council.
It is a pleasure to have you. Can you spell your first and last name, Ms. Leavy, for the record.
Again, it gives me great pleasure to come before the Council to speak about Laura Sims. To sum up the things that I heard addressed about Laura, Laura, to know Laura, she was devoted, she had perseverance, she had faith, and she gave service. She was devoted to her church, her family, and to the community. She persevered. When Laura wanted something, she went after it with 17 BILL 980446 determination. She had faith. She believed in her idea, and she pursued it and implemented her idea. And her unyielding service to the community, to her family, and to the church, and I don't want to leave out Fairmount Park. Also I see sitting to the far right of the Council is Councilman Thacher Longstreth. Laura knew Nancy very well. They were very good friends. So on behalf of the Advisory Council, the Friends of Cobbs Creek Park, the students in the Cobbs Creek community and beyond, we are very grateful and thankful that you are renaming the Cobbs Creek Skate House. Thank you.
Are there any questions from the committee of this witness? Thank you, Ms. Leavy. Ms. Carole Williams.
I am 18 BILL 980446 Carole, with an E, Chew, C-H-E-W, Williams. I am here representing several people. I am representing Senator Williams, State Representative Anthony H. Williams, I am his mother, and I am also the President of the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center. And in closing, I would like to ask all of the representatives of the Advisory Council from the skate house to please stand. (Members stand.) (Applause.)
And I would like the young people from the Turner Middle School to stand. They have been excellent. (Applause.)
And may I have the hockey members and the mother of one of the hockey members to stand. (Members stand.) (Applause.)
And being a grandmother also, I would like the two grandchildren of Laura Sims to stand. (Grandchildren stand.) 19 BILL 980446 (Applause.)
The oldest one is on his way to Valley Forge Military College in the fall. (Applause.)
I am really just grateful that Laura and -- I not only served on her Advisory Board, but we were personal friends. Our children grew up together. And I want the children especially to know that you don't necessarily have to wear the hat of a judge, or that you have to be the President of the United States, or that you have to be a public official. That you can be a mother, a devoted church goer, and you can believe in your community enough to see a need, and then gather a group of people to say, "This is an important project. Help me make it happen." So the message to our community -- and I thank Council for the willingness and for Ms. Blackwell and her husband to be the spearhead of this renaming. It is a model to our children that regardless of color, of religion, or ethnic and 20 BILL 980446 economic background, that you can make a difference. And this will be a legacy to our community that Laura Sims, indeed, made a difference. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Ms. Williams. Does any member of the committee have any questions or comments for these witnesses? Councilman Jim Kenney.
Thank you. And thank you for taking the time to come today. I know it means a lot to you to have this ice rink, this wonderful facility, renamed. I just want to tell you a little story about my involvement with that facility that has really opened my eyes in many ways. In 1967, '68, thereabouts, I started following ice hockey, when the Flyers first came into town. And that is absolutely my favorite sport in the universe. I think it is one of the best sports there ever was, and have played and 21 BILL 980446 followed and been involved in it even until today, as a coach at the Rizzo Rink down in South Philadelphia, where my son plays. Through Ms. Sims and the people who worked at the rink, I had an opportunity to get involved in the fledgling ice hockey program at Cobbs Creek, Cobbs Ice Rink. We helped to provide some equipment and some contacts with equipment suppliers and some funds to get this sport started. Because it is so expensive, the equipment is so expensive, as compared to basketball or other sports, where children, sometimes their families don't have the money to buy that good equipment. But as a result of the efforts in that area, including -- as a matter of fact, the Phantoms, as you know, just won the Cup in the AHL last night here in Philadelphia. One of the players there is an African-Canadian player by the name of Bruce Kohls. And Bruce came out, at our request, to do a clinic at the rink. And we have also had the opportunity to bring the kids down to the CoreStates Center for 22 BILL 980446 some Flyers games. It has been a wonderful experience. But the most important part of it is that the children from Cobbs have had an opportunity to go to Rizzo, and Rizzo has had an opportunity to go to Cobbs. And these kids have had a chance to play together in a sport that traditionally has been basically a white-only sport. And these children have flourished and have gotten so much better at what they are doing, and have found now an opportunity to do things in the wintertime, when the basketball courts are frozen, the baseball fields are frozen, and they can get indoors on a rink and get into other neighborhoods so that kids can see they have something in common. And I think that, in the end, is one of the biggest legacies of Laura Sims, is bringing children together from all parts of the city. So I thank you very much for coming in today. Thank you.
Does any other 23 BILL 980446 committee members have any questions or comments of this witness? The next witness we have is Charles Hammock. Good morning Mr. Hammock, please state your name and spell your last name for the record.
Charles Hammock, H-A-M-M-O-C-K. I am here this morning representing several entities. First of all, Samuel Evans asked me to -- and you all know Sam Evans -- asked me to speak on his behalf, as well as the AFNA program. It is nice to see Councilwoman Blackwell, Councilman Longstreth. I just left Councilman Kenney on another matter. Let me say that on behalf of Mr. Evans, that Laura Sims and Mr. Evans worked together for over 50 years in community organizations, in many endeavors across this city. And Ms. Sims was very active in helping Mr. Evans bring together the AFNA program. As many of you know, AFNA is a program of supplementary education designed to aid 24 BILL 980446 students to achieve the academic requirements of the school in which they attend. AFNA also is designed to bring students through to professional careers. And in that effort, over the years, some 28 years, AFNA has taken students beginning in the 8th grade, through high, college, and professional schools, has brought through over 400 medical doctors, 350 lawyers, 66 Ph.D.s in various disciplines, and over 3,500 college graduates, and have enrolled over 10,000-and-a-half students. Because of the help of Councilmen such as Councilman Longstreth and others, AFNA a has been a tremendous success. And just recently Senator Specter has put in a bill in the United States Senate to have AFNA replicated across this nation. Mr. Evans asked me to convey to the Council this morning the fact that Laura Sims played a tremendous part in launching AFNA, beginning in 1968. I would also say, on behalf of Ms. Sims and her family, Donna Sims and her family, that beginning in the fall, there will be a scholarship 25 BILL 980446 endowment in the name of Laura Sims. And Mr. Evans will be working to support that and bring that about. So it is a real pleasure for me to speak for Sam Evans and the AFNA program. We thank Councilwoman Blackwell and all of the Council. I just see Councilman Cohen. Mr. Evans asked me to pay you a special hello. And we would hope that this would be approved as quickly as possible. And so on behalf of Samuel Evans and Charles Hammock and the AFNA program, we thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hammock. Do any committee members have questions or comments for this witness? Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone else here to testify for or against this bill? Seeing none, this concludes the Public Hearing. (Public Hearing adjourned.) - - - COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING of the COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURAL AFFAIRS - - - Thursday, June 11, 1998 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs, held in Room 400, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILL 980446 - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER, Chair COUNCILWOMAN HAPPY FERNANDEZ COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL - - - 27 PUBLIC MEETING
We will now move into our Public Meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell for a motion on Bill No. 980446.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 980446 be reported out of committee with a suspension of the Rules so that it can be considered at our first session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor. Opposed? This committee will report Bill No. 16 980446 out of committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request that the Rules be suspended as to permit first reading at our next regularly scheduled Council session. I want to thank everyone for coming. I think that Ms. Laura Sims sounds like she was a very special lady. And this concludes the Public Meeting. Thank you. (Public Meeting adjourned at 10:50 28 PUBLIC MEETING a.m.) - - - 29 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, June 11, 1998, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURAL AFFAIRS _____________________________________ DEBRA A. WHITEHEAD, RPR