Dilworth Park By The Numbers; Drexel's Big Dino

Newsletter Sept. 5, 2014

Mayor Michael Nutter with Philly Jesus, because of course both were there.

PHILLY’S NEWEST PUBLIC SPACE: DILWORTH PARK BY THE NUMBERS

— Price tag: $55M. Who paid: Pennsylvania ($16.35 million), the Center City District ($15 million), the Federal Transit Administration ($15 million), the city itself ($5.75 million), SEPTA ($4.3 million) and even the William Penn Foundation (David Haas’ charity chipped in $1.2 million).
— Time spent building it: Planning started in 2007; construction began in 2012. (Inq)
— Amount of space freed up for people to gather, organize, demonstrate, picnic, etc: 120,000 square feet. (CityPaper)
— The park is named for Richardson Dilworth, the city’s 91st mayor, who served from 1956-1962. (Daily News)
— Number of selfies taken: Too many to count.

NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH? NOT FOR PHILLY’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Since 80 percent of the city’s public schools meet the federal requirements for free breakfast and lunch, the district is waiving the paperwork — which means all kids get to eat free. More good news for the district: The number of “persistently dangerous” schools went from 25 in 2008-09 to zero this year.

GINORMOSAUR: DREXEL SCIENTISTS DISCOVER HUGE NEW DINO

Meet “Dreadnoughtus,” the 65-ton predator-proof sauropod that was bigger than seven or eight T-Rexes combined. Kenneth Lavacora is the Drexel prof who found the beastie in southern Patagonia, a hundred miles off the power grid via a glacial stream.

DON’T BE A TOOL: HELP OUT WEST PHILLY’S TOOL WAREHOUSE ON INDIEGOGO

The West Philly Tool Library is just what it sounds like: A place for residents to pay a small fee to borrow an implement (tree cutter, band saw, what have you) they probably don’t need to buy but really need for like one weekend. The warehouse, which has been open since 2008, has an annual budget of $40,000 and it’s barely kept the lights on through grants, donations and the like. They’re only $1,200 short of their IndieGogo goal of $10,000 for more tools — primarily power tools, which are insanely popular.

TONIGHT: THE PHILLY FRINGE FESTIVAL

WHAT: The start of 17 days of hundreds of offbeat, oddball performances. The grand opening act act: The Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret drag show. (Much more on the act in PhillyMag)
When: Friday, September 5, bar opens at 10 p.m.
Where: FringeArts, 140 N. Columbus Boulevard
How much: Free

BILLY PENN LIKES

CONSHOHOCKEN WANTS ALL THE MILLENNIALS, AND THE NY TIMES IS ON IT!

Why settle in the ‘burbs, 15 miles outside the city? Bigger floor plans, developers told the Gray Lady earlier this week. Specifically, apartments and townhouses in a walkable, bikeable town that’s a 35-minute train ride from most places in the city. Sure — but then you’ve gotta tell people where you live…

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STAY OFF THE BLUE ROUTE AT NIGHT THIS WEEKEND

The good news: The ring around the northern ‘burbs will finally stop being a pothole-infested mini-Autobahn. The bad? Things will slow to a crawl as PennDOT’s workers (known for being industrious and efficient… or, you know, the opposite) delay and close lanes from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. between I-76 and U.S. Route 30 southbound and between Route 3 and the I-76 interchanges in the northbound lanes.

Dilworth Park By The Numbers; Drexel’s Big Dino