Join the Public Board Meeting TONIGHT at 7 pm

On the second Tuesday of the month, the Washington Square West Civic Association hosts our monthly public Board Meeting.

Wash Square West Civic Association is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

Click to open Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 918 4711 8602

Passcode: WSWCA

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Show off your holiday spirit

You’ve heard of Elf on a Shelf, but have you heard of… the WSWCA Door Deco Contest?? It’s the time of year to spread some cheer!  Bad poems aside, share your winter holiday door decorations with the WSWCA and you could win a prize! Send up to 3 images of your sparkle or snow, evergreen and bows… to our Instagram DMs or to info@washwestcivic.org! We’d love to share your deco on our social feeds and present a prize to the neighborhood favorite on December 30th! Once we have a few entries, we will initiate a community voting process. Share away, starts today!

Question for the mayoral candidates?

Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition will be hosting a series of mayoral forums in the next few months. Center City is one location and WSWCA is helping to organize. Read more about the effort here. Email your questions to Info@washwestcivic.org

Holidays With McCall

Still looking for the perfect gift? Workshop Underground has something for everyone with many beautiful items going for as low as $15-20! They have gorgeous jewelry made in-house, carefully curated home goods and can even custom-make jewelry for you if you have something specific in mind. 25% of proceeds go to McCall!

Upcoming Kindergartener? Sign up for an in-person tour at McCall. It’s a great public elementary and middle school. February and April tours still have availability.

SEPTA Station Improvements

SEPTA has an upcoming construction project that will occur in our area. The 8th Street subway station Waterproofing & Structural Repairs project will repair and prevent structural damage caused by water intrusion. Please see fact sheet for more information (click red text).

Hazardous Waste – Not Recycling

Although Philadelphia has single stream recycling, that doesn’t mean hazardous waste can go out with the card board. For a refresher on what you can include in your weekly pick up, check out the Street Department site here. To find out what to do with those fluorescent lights, etc., check out the Hazardous Material website here.

And make plans for your Christmas tree. Check out Streets Dept’s options here.

Shelter from the Cold

The cold can be dangerous, particularly for people experiencing homelessness.

If you see someone outside who may need help, request a street outreach team any time, any place, by calling 215-232-1984

Would your kid like a real life Night at the Museum experience?

The Academy of Natural Sciences is bringing back their popular overnight experience. Night in the Museum will take place in January, February and March and allows kids 6-12 to experience the Academy’s towering dinosaurs — including T. rex — after dark. Find out more at The Academy of Natural Science’s website.

Architect led Gingerbread House Workshop

Here’s a fun and creative event for a date night or Q.T with the family, the Free Library is hosting a very unique gingerbread house workshop on December 20th 6-8 pm. Find out more and sign up here.

Need Health Insurance?

Sign up for Pennie, Pennsylvania’s low-cost health insurance marketplace. Sign up by Dec. 15 to be covered by Jan. 1 for the entire year.

Open enrollment for Pennie runs until Jan. 15, 2023. Visit pennie.com for more information. State Rep Mary Isaacson can also answer questions – just click here. Live sign up events happening this week around the neighborhood. Find all the event dates & locations here.

Fun and festive ways to celebrate the holidays in Philadelphia

Tis the season to be jolly! Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and partners are hosting holiday events at sites across the city this month. Check out the upcoming events here. 

PWD reminders for winter weather

Some good habits in mind when snow falls. Your assistance helps to make sure our crews and others responding to issues and emergencies can quickly tackle any potential problems as they come up.

And, if you are using salt or other chemicals to melt ice, please read this and make sure you aren’t mistakenly harming local waterways and making sidewalks unhealthy for our four-legged friends.

Ice Skating close to home

Ice skating at Dilworth Park has already begun and beginning this Friday, you can ice skate at the BlueCross River Rink at Penn’s Landing too.

Check out this website to read about the Rothman Ice Rink at Dilworth Park’s specials, and this one to read up on ice skating on the Delaware. Pro tip – if you have IBX insurance, you (and 3 guests) get free admission at the Blue Cross River Rink. They also are hiring.

Big changes coming to SEPTA

Do you use SEPTA regularly? If so, make sure you look at their new plan: SEPTA’s Bus Revolution (link in red)

SEPTA is looking for public input and feedback to their new plan.

Independence Library

Our neighborhood library’s normal schedule is Monday-Friday from 1-5PM. Check their website for their hours before heading over because staff coverage impacts hours. To get your holds on material pickup days, please call the library when you are outside, and have your library card or photo ID ready.

Is Charles Santore library closer to you? Help them determine their future hours. Survey here.

Work for the City

Did you know that the City of Philadelphia has a job’s posting board that has over 175 opportunities open to the public? The job diversity is astounding and your dream job may be on the list. Check it out here.