The Eastwick Bulletin: Week of June 10th

Serving the residents and neighbors of Eastwick, Southwest Philadelphia, since our founding. The Eastwick Bulletin is published weekly to keep our community informed, connected, and empowered.

Welcome to another week in Eastwick! As we head into the summer months, our community is bustling with activities, celebrations, and opportunities to connect with nature. This week, we are excited to highlight several upcoming events that celebrate our local environment and history.

We also want to acknowledge the excellent participation at our recent public meeting on May 27. Based on feedback from the Board and attendees, we are planning a future newsletter dedicated entirely to the insights shared at that meeting. We will focus on practical advice for working with the City, understanding how to effectively use the 311 service, and maximizing the response to our community's needs.

POSITIVE UPDATE: Paddle the Delaware River

MARK YOUR CALENDAR for Saturday, June 27th (10:30 AM – 3:00 PM)

Come out to the beautiful Glen Foerd Historic Mansion in the Great Northeast and enjoy a guided and informative paddle with the Delaware Riverkeeper Network!

This is a unique opportunity to experience the mainstem River from a new perspective. Whether you live in Eastwick, work for the City, or are an employee of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, you are invited to join this educational excursion.

Participants will learn about fascinating ecological processes, including how islands are formed, which fish and birds are currently migrating, and the current state of the River's water quality. It promises to be an engaging day on the water for anyone interested in our regional environment.

Details:

• When: Saturday, June 27, 2026, 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM

• Where: Glen Foerd Historic Mansion

• What to bring: Bring yourself a bagged lunch and let's go paddling!
  

COMMUNITY CONCERN: Addressing Eastwick's Environmental Justice Challenges

Eastwick residents face interconnected environmental and quality-of-life challenges that demand sustained attention and action. As a community nestled between the Delaware River, the Schuylkill River, and where the Darby and Cobbs creeks meet, Eastwick's low-lying geography makes it particularly vulnerable to flooding. But the challenges extend far beyond water.

Environmental Justice and Pollution: Eastwick's proximity to the airport, major highways, a landfill, and a now-closed oil refinery creates a cumulative environmental burden that disproportionately impacts residents. Air emissions from industrial facilities, concerns about water quality, and the potential mobilization of toxic substances from the nearby Superfund site during flooding events all threaten community health and safety.

Chronic Illegal Dumping: Persistent illegal dumping continues to plague Eastwick, creating eyesores and environmental hazards that undermine neighborhood quality of life. While enforcement efforts have increased, the problem persists and requires ongoing community vigilance and city action.

Public Safety and Infrastructure: Residents have raised concerns about insufficient lighting at the local rail station, the need for increased policing in targeted areas, and traffic safety challenges. These everyday quality-of-life issues affect all residents, regardless of flood risk.

Affordable Housing and Displacement: As development pressure increases in Southwest Philadelphia, residents are concerned about displacement and the loss of affordable housing. The community is actively working to secure 925 affordable rental units and protect long-time residents from being priced out of their neighborhood.

EFNC remains committed to advocating for comprehensive solutions to these interconnected challenges. We believe that environmental justice means addressing not just flooding, but also air quality, water quality, public safety, and the right to remain in one's community. Together, we can build a resilient Eastwick that is safe, healthy, and affordable for all residents.

🚨 ONGOING ALERT: Clearview Landfill Cleanup Construction

As a reminder, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun constructing the final feature for the Clearview Landfill cleanup—a subsurface landfill gas collection trench.

During this time, expect periods when the bike path through the Eastwick City Park will be partially or completely closed due to heavy equipment. The construction of the trench will continue through September 2026, followed by piping installation through November.

Questions? Contact Josh Barber at [email protected] (267-541-9558) or Angela Ithier at [email protected] (215-814-5248).

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS: Show the World the Real Eastwick

We see the pictures of Eastwick's flooded streets, sandbags lining garages, and illegal dumping. These images tell an important part of our story, but they are not the whole story. Eastwick is a wonderful community to live in and raise a family, just like so many others across the country. People go to work, kids go to school. Holiday decorations get hung and taken down. Springtime flowers bloom and fall leaves get raked. Kids learn to ride bikes and go off to youth sports.

We have readers of this newsletter who live outside our community and don't see that side of Eastwick. Let's show them the real Eastwick. Send us your photos of daily life, community celebrations, beautiful gardens, neighborhood gatherings, and all the moments that make our community special. Help us tell the complete story of who we are.

How to Submit: Email your photos to [email protected] with a brief caption describing the image. Please include your name and permission to publish your photo in our newsletter and on our social media pages.

FUTURE TOPICS: What Would You Like to Learn About?

We want to make sure The Eastwick Bulletin covers the topics that matter most to you. What issues are you concerned about? What positive developments would you like to celebrate? What resources or information would be helpful for your family and neighbors?

Please send us your suggestions for future newsletter topics. You can reply to this email or contact us through our website at [email protected]. Your voice helps shape our coverage and ensures we are addressing the issues that matter most to our community.

UPCOMING EVENTS:  Mark Your Calendar

Here is a look at what is happening in and around Eastwick over the coming weeks:

SHARE THE WORD

Enjoy these updates? Tell your friends and neighbors! They can subscribe to The Eastwick Bulletin here: Subscribe to our newsletter

KNOW YOUR RESOURCES

Whether you need help with flooding, environmental concerns, or connecting to city services, these contacts are here for you:

ABOUT EFNC AND JOIN OUR BOARD

The Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition Inc. (EFNC) brings together community stakeholders to plan and advocate for an environmentally, economically, and socially just Eastwick. We believe that every resident deserves a safe, healthy, and thriving neighborhood, and we work alongside our neighbors, partner organizations, and city agencies to make that vision a reality.

Join the EFNC Board: We are actively seeking passionate community members to join our Board of Directors. We are particularly looking for volunteers with the following skill sets:

• Social Media and Digital Communications

• Event Planning and Community Organizing

• Computer Skills and Data Management

• Grant Writing and Fundraising

• Communications and Public Relations

• Community Outreach and Engagement

If you are interested in serving on the EFNC Board or would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities, please contact us at [email protected] or visit our website at eastwickfnc.org.

Until next time,
The EFNC Team