Community gathering for Make Some Noise Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan. Photo via Logan CDC

The Logan CDC held its second community-wide meeting Thursday evening for the Make Some Noise Logan Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan. Residents and hundreds of children gathered at the auditorium of Cook Elementary to hear speakers from the CDC, PECO Energy, and the local students who produced the My Logan Story video-journalism project.

The CDC is embarking on “Make Some Noise Logan” thanks to a neighborhood planning grant from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation, which also funded the West Philadelphia neighborhood of Mantua’s neighborhood plan, “Make Your Mark.” Similar to that initiative, a prominent CDC, the People’s Emergency Center, organized the community around the plan.

Garlen Capita, senior associate at Wallace Roberts and Todd (WRT), the urban design firm helping with the plan, gave a presentation discussing the current strengths and weaknesses of Logan. The neighborhood’s assets include gorgeous homes, access to mass transit, diverse racial and ethnic cultures, and a notable history, said Okechukwu.

At the same time, Capita noted that run-down homes, absentee landlords, vacant properties, crime, and litter are all problems afflicting Logan. “There’s some things that need to change,” she said.

In response to this desire to improve conditions, the Logan CDC has prescribed some specific recommendations to be addressed in the neighborhood plan. One recommendation was to foster an alliance of supportive organizations to “lead neighborhood housing investment.” Another recommendation was to bring “affordable, healthy food” to Logan, possibly through farmer’s markets and co-ops.

In addition, the five boys who helped create the My Logan Story–a brief video showing neighbors young and old speaking about their stake in the community — spoke before the audience to explain their project.

My Logan Story is a collaboration between WRT and Logan CDC that began in November 2013, with the intent of telling the community’s story from the perspective of its youth. The final video will be unveiled at I Love Logan Day in July, said Cicely Peterson-Mangum, executive director of the CDC. She added that My Logan Story needs additional funding to continue.

Here some of the videos produced so far:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyyIcKLD508&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s8kTsahXFQ&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeifijJpPuk&w=560&h=315]