U. workers raze park on Walnut

The fence is gone. The benches have been removed. The only sign that a park ever stood near the corner of 40th and Walnut streets is the stone that peeks above the tufts of grass. On Friday, People's Park was razed by Physical Plant workers, following an intensive outreach for the homeless people who had been staying there. The University and city social workers offered shelter and case management treatment for those who had been in the park since the end of summer. The park is located on the northwestern edge of campus behind the Free Library of Philadelphia. The park residents themselves actually helped as the park was cleared. At about 9:45 a.m., the homeless people began to put the contents of the park – including a barbeque, a few mattresses and a doll house –Einto the back of a garbage truck, which had arrived to empty the dumpsters behind Low Rise North. Despite the fact that they had to move on, some found levity in the moment. "What, you didn't pay your rent," one homeless man joked to another. "No, I have a better place, I'm moving to a place in Bryn Mawr [an affluent suburb]," the other man responded. The retaining wall that once established the area as a park was ripped out of the ground by a fork lift, and the benches were torn off the brick pavement. All the shrubs were also removed and two wrought iron planters were carted off. According to University Police Lt. Susan Holmes, the fence was taken down to discourage people from using it for shelter in the future. She added that the shrubs had become overgrown, and that Physical Plant would plant flowers in the park area, pending a redevelopment of the site. On hand were David Lynn, executive director of the University City Hospitality Coalition, and officials from the University, the city health department and Horizon House, a city-funded organization which provides services to the homeless. "I think the clearing was done excellently," said Horizon House Homeless Outreach Coordinator Brenda Cooper-Cutt. "I think it was great that the homeless men cleaned up the block." Cutt added that the remaining men were placed into shelters, and that they were able to take their belongings with them from the park. "The people that came in went into programs, and seemed satisfied," she said. "And some went into de-tox. "It was the first time I've seen homeless people moved like that without any ruckus." Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, whose district includes the park, was also happy about the outcome. Blackwell, an advocate for the homeless, said she hopes the city as a whole could learn from the cooperative work between the University and Horizon House. She hopes the upcoming "sweep" of the homeless in Center City will be as smooth.