A Vibrant Neighborhood in Northwest Philadelphia

Blue Bell Hill straddles the Germantown and West Mount Airy neighborhoods, with most residents in Germantown 19144, others in Mt. Airy 19119.  Blue Bell Hill  is bounded by Wissahickon Avenue, Walnut Lane, Cliveden Street (both sides, 19119), and the north/east edge of Fairmount Park. It includes residential streets between Walnut Lane and the park, Rittenhouse Town, as well as nearby residents who identify with our community.

Governing body is the Blue Bell Hill Civic Association, reinvigorated under a reorganization plan adopted Oct. 17, 2007.

The Civic facilitates dialogue on issues concerning residents and organizes maintenance/upkeep for the neighborhood’s best known feature, The Circle Garden at the eastern end of the Walnut Lane Bridge. It also organizes a Winter Holiday Party, various block parties, park/lot cleanups and other events.

Blue Bell Hill residents share fellow Philadelphians’ deep and abiding concern over safety and security, quality of life, taxes, zoning, education and city services. Specific concerns arise regarding all these matters, including the fact that we are covered by two Police Districts.  Because of our location we are acutely concerned with Fairmount Park, land usage, traffic and watershed issues. The fate of Thomas Mansion and its grounds on Wissahickon Avenue, upkeep of Blue Bell Hill Park along Walnut Lane and the future of Walnut Lane Golf Course are matters of great community interest.

The current slate (2009) of officers for the Blue Bell Hill Civic Association are:

President — Charlie Cooper cgcooper@sas.upenn.edu

Vice President – Ted Qualli tqualli@bbbssepa.org

Secretary — Christine Sheller ChristineSheller@gmail.com

Treasurer — Mark Shearman markshearman@gmail.com

Board members –

Sean Bennett quabbin0@yahoo.com

Ron Goldwyn rongoldwyn@yahoo.com

Nate House nhouse308@hotmail.com

Sidney Ozer ozer.sidney@epamail.epa.gov

Isabel Pilling itsfromiz77@yahoo.com

Governmental/Political Profile of Blue Bell Hill:

Ward 21, Division 24 (voting at Walnut Lane Golf Course clubhouse).

Police Districts: 14^th (most residents), 39^th.

14^th Police District — Captain Winton Singletary

Census Tract 223.

City Council 4^th District –Councilman Curtis Jones Jr.

Congress – Representative Chaka Fattah

State Senate – State Senator Shirley Kitchen

State House – State Rep. Rosita Youngblood

21^st Ward Democratic Leader – Lou Agre; Committeeman – Marc Stier