Events for this Week and N-Town's New Website

Check out Norristown.org website's new facelift. Looks nice but I had a heck of a time figuring out how to use the calendar. You can't simply click on a date anymore to see what's going on. Links for PDF files are missing. "Norristown History" is under "For Residents" so it's apparently not for visitors, too. They have council agendas hidden under "Council Minutes" which is hidden under the heading "Resources." I'm hoping it's a work in progress and they'll get the bugs out soon and make it easier to find things.

I don't have a lot of events to list this week. Not sure if that's because the town calendar isn't totally functional yet or if all the groups that are usually busy are out doing things like food drives this week instead of having events. Use the extra time to finish your holiday shopping.

Sunday night at 6 pm -- Christ United Church of Christ (W. Marshall and Noble Sts) invites everyone who like to Christmas carol to join them as they carol around their neighborhood. Meet at the church at 6 pm, carol, then back to the church for hot cocoa afterwards. Bring your family.

Monday, 4:15-5:15 pm is the last day this year for STEAM activities at the Norristown Library for grades 3-6. Create, imagine, explore, experiment. Class size is limited. Ask for program ticket at the children's desk when you arrive.

Tuesday, 6:30 pm, Council workshop at Municipal Hall. I don't THINK there's an agenda yet. Maybe I just couldn't find it on the new website.

Thursday, 5:45-7 pm, Roosevelt School (1161 Markley) will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Take a tour of the school. District administrators, school board members, teachers and staff welcome the public to join in the celebration. Anyone interested in attending is asked to RSVP by Dec. 15 by calling 610-275-9720 or emailing gbennet@nasd.k12.pa.us.

Thursday, a Zoning Board Hearing is listed on the town calendar. It's also listed for Dec 23, so your guess is as good as mine. The listing said to "See attached PDF for agenda" but there was no link to view the attachment.

The Norristown Nutcracker will be here next Friday and Saturday night at 7 pm at ACPPA (Behind Grace Lutheran on Haws Avenue). Tickets ($7) are going fast. Get yours at this link.

Jus' Java (317 Swede) is getting back into the swing of things. Next Friday, Dec 19, and every 3rd Friday thereafter, they'll host "The Spitwell Show" from 9 pm to midnight. Spoken Word Open Mic. $5 admission, which will benefit a local youth non-profit org.

ACPPA Winter Session Registration is open. To sign up, call the office (610) 277-2270, drop by, or visit http://www.acppa.net/#!classes/csgz

Happy Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day today to the Norristown Latino community, and Happy Hanukkah to all who'll celebrate it this week. If you need someone to help eat latkes and chocolate gelt, I'm available.

Murals in Norristown Survey Results

I apologize for no entry the last few days. I've been a little under the weather and also on the phone and on websites about health insurance, which is probably and ironically what's making me ill. But anyway, I promised you all the survey results and here they are. I've reproduced comments exactly as entered. Blame auto-correct. One person commented that outsiders don't notice murals. I do and I'm putting photos of some of my favorites that I've seen elsewhere on this blog. I have one other favorite that I couldn't find a photo of--a metal railroad fence around a corner in Philly where each square is painted to look like a quilt.

Question #1 was "Would you like to see another large mural in Norristown?"
YES - 69.05%
NO - 16.67%
Indifferent - 4.76%
Other - 9.52%

For those who chose "Other," here are their reasons in no particular order. Not everyone left comments.:
1. Please fix the existing mural coming into Norristown at the Dannehower Bridge
2. It depends
3. Murals that reflect a sense of history and suggest a positive transition over time could have value. A mural intended to "image" Norristown should have a very quick impact message that develops interest in spending time here; not merely cutting through.
4. It depends upon what it looks like. I am not fond of the one at 201 Dekalb.

NOTE: Twice as many people read the blog than actually took the survey. I think that means indifference is actually the majority. Or a lot of you don't want to do online surveys for privacy reasons. I'm not sure what mural at the Dannehower Bridge the commenter meant--maybe the Welcome to Norristown sign?

Questions #2: "If for or against the mural, please say why in a few words (optional)." Here are the comments that were left in no particular order:

1. I'm for another mural, but it would be nice for us to upkeep the existing works we already have, instead of letting them fall into disrepair.
2. They take the blank, generally unattractive walks and make them something to point out to kids and visitors!
3. like seeing them when driving around
4. Murals done in the community by some one in the community helps to make the community proud and to feel part of the community. It feels like theirs, which the leads to the community becoming and taking part of other areas to keep the community cleaner and safer..
5. Let's get some art in town, beautify Norristown and work together as a community to do so.

6. It would depend where and what it would look like. Even the style of painting can say a lot. Maybe something more traditional looking?
7. Outsiders don't notice murals - they notice trash and deteriorating buildings. Some think murals are the last ditch effort of a dying urban area. JS
8. I find murals in other places, such as York, PA and San Francisco, CA to be beautiful and they attract people.

9. Art adds life while reflecting the culture of the community
10. IT'S BETTER THAN A BLAK WALL, HOW ABOUT NEAR THE SCKUILL TRAIL ON EAST LAFAYETTE ST

11. I am for the mural. I believe this is a GREAT thing for Norristown. Arts/Mural are a positive image for our community. Please continue to push this movement for Norristown.
12. I would love to see a new mural at the entrance of Norristown. A mural would help beautify an otherwise depressed looking area of town. Having the murals lighted at night would be fantastic if possible. Murals have been proven to raise property value.
13. The current mural is attractive and colorful. I would love to see a lot more like it in town.
14. About the mural at DeKalb and Main; it contains no message. It is garish. The colors are more alarming than inviting. I also understand that it was approved weeks before the "deadline" for other proposals.
15. The process for the mural at 201 was flawed. Meetings were held for public input. However, Those who showed and expressed their input were told that it was a done deal. No public input was actually accepted. We have a result that I think is a very undesirable image for Norristown.

16. Great way to support Arts Hill
17. The one we have is UGLY!!!
18. I prefer the look of "naked" buildings.
19. We need to brighten up our images as an Art friendly town.
20. Why not? Better an attempt at beautification than no attempt at all. And Norristown needs all the beauty treatment it can get.

21. I think murals are viewed very positively as a form of 'urban art'. It also helps create an attachment to Philadelphia
22. Let Norristown artists get the commission! Volunteers are great, but what about our professionals? If those Philly artists haven't pleased everyone, why not give Norristown artists a shot?
23. We ought to have more art in town. It would brighten up the old dingy buildings.

So there you have it. The majority who answered the survey are overwhelmingly for another mural.

Coming Together As A Community

First, a reminder to take the mural survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GWDXNB8 if you haven't done so. I want to publish the results towards the end of this week, so make sure your opinion is heard. And please share the link with your neighbors and friends.

Tree-lighting at Martin's Tavern, PA

Most of you know that I sing with a living history music ensemble. This time of year is usually pretty busy for us--historic sites like Valley Forge, Elfreth's Alley and Pottsgrove all have things like candlelight tours in December. But another type of program we've frequently done is the community tree-lighting or other local holiday celebration.

Friday night we sang at Limerick Township. Every year, Santa shows up by fire truck at their community park.  They set up under a big picnic pavilion, with hot cocoa and cookies and crafts for the kids (this year they decorated luminaria bags). We dress up in Victorian costumes, singing carols and teaching motions to "The 12 Days of Christmas" while Santa does photo ops. There's a big lighted tree outside the pavilion not far away.

The closest house to Limerick's park is at least a half mile away, across dark muddy fields. There's no easy way to walk to the pavilion at night--everyone has to drive. We've gone the last 3 years and it's rained every time. Yet despite the damp and cold, families show up every year for this event. One woman brought her aging mother who was in a wheelchair and not terribly responsive. The woman asked if we could sing "The Little Drummer Boy." When we did, her mother got tears in her eyes. The woman said they never miss coming to the event, rain or not.

I've been to lots of these little community holiday gatherings--in Martin's Tavern on the other side of West Chester, in Ardmore on Lancaster Avenue, right across the river in Bridgeport. We even had one in Norristown last year, at Riverfront Park, where Santa arrived by dragon boat. But the Dragon Boat Club lost most of their equipment in the flood last spring. Donations allowed them to replace some necessities, but outdoor lights for night events at Riverfront have to wait until they get more donations.

At Riverfront Park last year. 

Elmwood Park Zoo had a tree lighting this year, but I think the tree is back near the ice skating rink. You can't see it from the road. I only saw one notice for the lighting, the day before it happened, so I'm not sure how well it was publicized.

What Norristown needs is a community holiday event that's right in the heart of town, in the public square, say, or at Main and Dekalb. A tree, or some other kind of light display would be great--sure, the lighted snowflakes on the streetlamps are helping to brighten up downtown and W. Marshall this year, but we need a central focal point. (That actually, could be said of Norristown in general.)

And while I think lights are important to brighten up the mood of this town, the chance to come together as a community at the end of the year is more important. We've had too much of an "every man for himself" attitude of late. Or maybe it's more like we're all waiting for someone else to take the reins and do something. No one business or non-profit or government agency is going to bring Norristown back by itself. We need a town-wide sense of community. The only time that I feel that comes close to happening is on July 4th (and the parade was cancelled this year).

So let's all mark our calendars to get together at the beginning of the fall next year and figure out the where and how and when of putting together a community event for next December--an event strictly for the enjoyment of Norristown residents, and especially for our children. I guarantee it will help us look into the new year with more optimism than we've felt for a long while. 

Holiday Events All Over Town

Yes, it's cold out, the nights are long, and there's rain and snow in the forecast AGAIN. If you're like me, you just want to hibernate until spring. Save it for January. There are lots of events in town this month that will warm your heart, at least. Don't be a Grinch. Come out and celebrate with your Norristown neighbors.

Tonight at 7:15 pm, the doors of the Centre Theater will open for STARSTRUCK, a Musical Revue, starring some of the most talented students at NAHS. Additional shows on Saturday at 2:30 and 7:15 pm. Dessert will be served before each show in the 1st floor cafe. Tickets are only $10 and all proceeds support NAHS Drama Club. You can order tickets from any cast member or contact John Doyle at jdoyle@nasd.k12.pa.us. Please come out and support our high school drama club.

Remember, if you want Santa to deliver an early gift by fire truck to a child in Norristown, bring that gift (shoebox size or smaller) to Municipal Hall tomorrow between 8 and 11 am.  Go to this link, download the form and follow the instructions.

Saturday from 10 am to noon, ACPPA Community Art Center invites girls 3-12 years old, and their moms, aunts, grandmothers, etc., to Girl's Morning Out With The Nutcracker. Among other things, all participants will be read the story of the Nutcracker; watch excerpts from the ballet enactment; learn that character’s dance, take part in a special art and craft; and transform into a character. Pricing is $15 per child (no fee for adults). This annual event sells out quickly. To purchase, visit http://nutcrackermorning.eventbrite.com or call the office at (610) 277-2270.

Saturday at noon, is the 2nd Annual Awards Banquet of Norristown Men of Excellence, Westover Country Club, 401 S. Schuylkill Ave, Jeffersonville. For tickets or more info contact: Dom Lewis or Doug White at 484-284-0852 .

Sunday from 2 to 5 pm -- Last chance for FREE admission to the Elmwood Park Zoo for Norristown residents. The Zoo has been celebrating its 90th anniversary all year by offering free admission on first Sunday of the month. This is it, the last month. Residents of Norristown Borough that present valid photo ID may enter the Zoo free of charge after 2 pm.

Tuesday from noon to 4 pm at GNPAL, 340 Harding Blvd. Open Job Fair. Potential qualified candidates should call 610-278-8040 ext 223.

Tuesday at 7 pm is supposed to be the monthly Planning Commission Meeting, but so far, there's nothing on the agenda.

Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, VANCE Community Partners at 216 Cherry Street will hold their Annual Holiday Bazaar. Call 267-279-9397 or go to their website for more information.

Also Thursday, also at 216 Cherry, from 5-7 pm, the Norristown Business Association will host a Business Mixer, 5 pm-7 pm. Food, wine tasting, raffle. If you have a business in Norristown or are a leader of one of Norristown's non-profits, you're invited--you don't have to be a member to attend. Bring business cards. For info, call 610-275-3727 or email info@norristownba.org

Nextdoor.com is a free private social network for neighborhoods. 5 neighborhoods in Norristown are now active--much of the town is covered. I'm in one of them and we've been sharing activities and announcements with each other and with the other neighborhoods. Nextdoor is adding a holiday map this week so you can see at a glance who's selling trees, where the events are, who's got great light displays, and where you can donate your time and money to worthy causes in town. The network is absolutely private--only your neighbors allowed. If you're interested in joining, go to www.nextdoor.com and sign up. If you don't live in an established neighborhood, you can form one of your own.

Take My 2-Question Survey

Remember a year ago when a couple members of Council supposedly jokingly remarked that the mural at Lafayette and Dekalb ought to be painted over? They were taken seriously, so a crowd of residents showed up at the next meeting to protest. If you don't remember and want to read about it, here are the 2 N-town Diary postings about that mural and the others we have in town.

norristowndiary.blogspot.com/2013/10/save-our-mural.html
norristowndiary.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-mural-kind-of-town.html

Recently, Philadelphia Mural Arts Project has identified another building in Norristown that they'd like to put a mural on. I won't say where yet, but will say that it's at a main entrance to town and would be large. Like the Lafayette mural, it would also be a community project--that is, Norristown residents and Council would approve the design and Norristown volunteers would help paint it. The owner of the building has given his approval already. The group looking into the feasibility of the project would get grants through the state and elsewhere to fund the project.

As most of you know, my opinion is that if Norristown's going to bill itself as an arts community, we ought to have art in town, especially community art like this. And we shouldn't be looking down our nose at any one kind of art, because frankly, few of us know enough about art to qualify as critics. If someone's willing to organize and find funding for a big project, why would we refuse?

But, I want to get everyone's opinion. I've set up a survey online. Only 2 questions, and you only have to answer the first. You can take it anonymously. Even if you're indifferent to the issue, you can tell me that. Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GWDXNB8 and register your opinion. Share this blog with your neighbors. Let's get the opinions of as many residents, businesses, and regular visitors to N-town as possible.

Thanks. I'll let everyone know the results in a week or so.

Santa Is Arriving By Fire Truck

If you hear fire sirens on the 13th, don't worry. It's just Santa delivering present in your neighborhood. The Norristown Fire Department is assisting Santa with early deliveries this year. If you want your child or a kid you know in Norristown to be on the delivery list, you need to act THIS SATURDAY.

Go to this link and download the form (scroll down until you see the form and the word "DOWNLOAD" below it).

Fill out the form and return it with your one gift per child to Municipal Hall this Saturday (Dec 6th) between 8 and 11 am. Details about size of gift, how to label, etc. are on the form.

Presents will be delivered NEXT Saturday, Dec 13, between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. You need to go outside with your child when you hear the sirens, though. Santa has a lot of stops, so he can't wait.

Questions? Call 610-292-8281.

Saturday On Main Street

Over the weekend, I was trying to remember the last time I strolled along Main Street downtown. I mean, more than a 1 or 2-shop stop at a store or restaurant. It was probably over 40 years ago when I used to go downtown with my mom on Saturday mornings.

She'd get her hair done in a little salon on Penn, then we'd walk down to Main and go right, toward Pagel's Shoes, the New York Store and the Charming Shoppe (where she bought all my Sunday dresses). Or we'd go left to Chatlins Department Store. Sometimes we did the whole stretch. We'd end up back in the middle--lunch at Grants 5-and-10 (best hotdogs in the world, on buttered rolls, with Hires draft root beer), plus they had a public phone so we could call my dad to come get us.

When I told people I was going downtown for Small Business Saturday, most of them said, "What for? There aren't any businesses down there anymore." Still, last Saturday morning, Robin Parker (some of you know her as the head of the Dragon Boat Club) and I started at Jus' Java on Swede and walked down to Main. Our intention was to let businesses know about the Norristown Business Association and maybe get their thoughts on bringing life back to the downtown.

Let me add that I can now personally recommend Jus' Java's caramel hot cocoa and berry blend black tea. Today (Tuesday) is their grand re-opening. Discounts between 10 and noon. They're open until 5 pm. Go check out their new space.

Anyway, at Main Street, we went left to Cherry, crossed Main and came back down the street on the other side, walking almost down to Arch Street, where we crossed again and came back up to Swede. And on the way we stopped in most of the businesses who were open and didn't look too, too busy.

Yes, that's right. We DO have businesses downtown, and some--like the barber shops--had so many patrons that we didn't feel right interrupting them.

There are more businesses than I expected. Most are small eateries, and many of them Mexican cuisine, though they all seem to offer different variations. They're all brightly painted, neat and clean inside, and inviting. Their cooking aromas are all enticing. They all had a decent number of patrons (to be honest, it was the lunchtime). Ditto for the other eateries we stopped at, like Main Street Cafe. In a 4-block area, we've already got Vietnamese, Ethiopean, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Southern and American cuisine. We could market Main Street as our International Dining District. Then add Italian, Greek, Thai, Middle Eastern, Indian, etc. And an ice cream place.

We also stopped at old established businesses like Baer's Furniture and Zummo's Hardware. They weren't so busy. It's a shame, because they're really nice people, offer great products, and they've been faithful to Norristown for decades.

Everyone who volunteered their opinions mentioned that parking was the worst problem. For stores selling heavy things like furniture, rock salt, etc., loading trucks or cars in front of their places is difficult. I've found that business district parking isn't a problem that Municipal Hall has been willing to talk about, but it seems to be key to bringing commerce back to the community. We can't simply expect visitors to be willing to pay for parking--not when there's free parking to be had at area malls and in surrounding towns. We can't expect our businesses to thrive only on weekends, when parking is free on the streets. We're in competition with other shopping areas. We're in competition with online stores. We need to make our districts more inviting, more unique, more fun, and VERY easy to visit, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

The other problem is looks. Some of the buildings, like the little cafes and Cullen & Conwell law offices have gotten facelifts and look great. Many need a little work or just some powerwashing of the dingy pavements and bricks. The borough's trash cans need to be emptied more often. Codes needs to nudge owners into fixing things like dilapidated fencing. But it was heartening to see construction permits on a couple empty buildings, with workers busy inside.

These aren't insurmountable problems. I think we just need to brainstorm a bit and find some creative solutions.

Afterwards we stopped for lunch at Casa Bonita International Cuisine on Dekalb and Oak Sts.--another gem of a restaurant that no one seems to know about. They're known for their fish tacos. I recommend the Korean kochoo chop chae (pictured). Yummy.

Certainly, Main Street wasn't thriving this year for Small Business Saturday, but it gave me hope for the future.