This Wednesday night, West Central Germantown Neighbors (WCGN) members will vote on whether to expand its RCO boundaries into the east side. The new boundaries would go up Washington Lane to Baynton Street, down to Chelten Avenue, up to Germantown Avenue, and then back up to Washington Lane.
Why? “We want to be notified about incoming developments,” said Suzanne Ponsen, WCGN’s president.
Its current boundaries are bounded by the north side of Chelten Avenue, the west side of Germantown Avenue, the south side of Washington Lane, and the east side of the Chestnut Hill West railroad line, with the addition of Four Freedoms House on Morris Street on the west side of the railroad line.
Currently, WCGN includes about 1,000 neighbors within its boundaries; if the members approve the expansion, that number would increase to almost 1,500.
Ponsen clarifies that this isn’t a takeover but rather a way to be “a part of the conversation,” saying that though those boundaries aren’t the West Central area of the neighborhood, buildings, and entities on the East Side can still influence the West Side neighbors.
For example, neighbors on both sides of the Ave. used the old Rite Aid at 6201 Germantown Avenue before its closure last year. However, when it came time to hear about what would come as the Rite Aid departed, neighbors on the West Side didn’t technically get a notification because it wasn’t within boundaries.
The president also made it clear that the neighbors on the East Side would also gain access to conversations about things happening on their side, as they would be eligible members. Aside from conversations, they’ll also be invited to attend less formal and more community-building gatherings, like picnics.
Of course, this would require outreach and efforts to alert neighbors of the expansion and inform them of their new choice to engage. GIH asked Ponsen if WCGN would actively work to ensure East Germantown neighbors are included, and she obliged.
“We would do everything in our power to encourage people in that area to come to our meetings and feel welcomed,” she expressed.
While this information may feel recent, expansion plans were seeded in October 2024 at another WCGN meeting.
Per its bylaws, WCGN’s members cannot propose and vote during the same meeting. They must present a thing and then vote. While they were supposed to vote in January, they “didn’t have enough quorom,” so they further discussed and took a straw poll to illuminate possible outcomes.
Those results revealed that out of a group of 11, two abstained, eight supported, and one opposed.
Ponsen revealed that WCGN Vice President Mike Ramos “questioned WCGN’s vulnerability and asked if those new neighbors would have the same interests,” naming historic preservation as a prime example. We reached out to Ramos by phone and email, but have not received a response.
This related heavily to a concern that GIH raised about the vast difference in demographics between the East and West sides, the East being much more Black and lower income. At the same time, the West has a more significant white and affluent presence. Differences in demographics could also mean differences in priorities.
We also thought about how, in a possible vote, East Germantown neighbors could possibly still not have the advantage if they’re now only one third of a larger body.
Patrick Jones of the 59th Democratic Ward acknowledged that Germantown is “the only district separated by race and class” in the 8th District. He also says that while he once held a much more separatist viewpoint within organizing, he embraces the expansion of WCGN, saying that it will contribute to a “united front” that he’d like to see more of in the neighborhood.
He also makes it clear that he already thinks Germantown is too saturated with RCOs and names Mt. Airy as an example of an appropriate division of boundaries, as it only has two — East Mt. Airy Neighbors (EMAN) and West Mt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN).
Both Jones and Ponsen believe it’s unlikely that WCGN would even be chosen to facilitate discussions east of the Ave., given how many RCO’s there are as Jones named. Right now, there are already many overlapping RCOs within the new area that WCGN seeks to cover.
Per the city’s rules, whenever there are overlapping boundaries, the councilperson within that district must assign the coordinating RCO. In this case, Councilperson Cindy Bass would have to make the decision, so WCGN would never be able to claim full responsibility over projects unless assigned.
A project at 6201 Germantown Avenue can be used as an example of how this might work. This building sits within the boundaries of four different RCOs: the 59th Democratic Ward, Faith Development CDC, Chew & Belfield Neighbors, and the interesting KECO Enterprises. However, in the end, the 59th Democratic Ward was assigned the coordinating RCO.
No matter the case, Jones says there is no problem as long as things are done “in the spirit of unity and transparency.”
Ponsen also says there is potential to work to ensure that the 11 city-owned properties that they identified in that area are also put to good use and don’t price out neighbors, propping up initiatives like the Turn The Key program, which helps Philadelphians buy affordable homes and build equity.
Looking towards the future, both sides are interested in activating younger people within this kind of community work. Jones says that it’s essential that space is made for young people to learn and grow in this work, as they’ll be taking this over.
He sees this expansion as part of a more significant move towards “a fresh start,” which he says young people deserve.
Ponsen says that while WCGN’s active member base comprises older folks, they want more young folks. They recognize that the young energy can only help strengthen their efforts as they bring more technical knowledge, more outreach ability, and more connection to other young people who will carry this work forward.
For neighbors within WCGN’s boundaries who want to cast a vote, it will happen tomorrow, Wednesday, March 26, at 7 p.m. The meeting is virtual; RSVP ahead.