Construction workers began pouring the foundation in October for the future Student Health and Wellness Center on 15th Street near Montgomery Avenue. So far, it seems the construction has caused a disturbance for North Philadelphia residents.
Earlier this month, officials from the Amos Recreation Center at 16th Street near Montgomery Avenue expressed their disappointment that the construction left their children with less room to play outside. Now, Judith Robinson, the director of Susquehanna Clean Up/Pick Up Inc., said she’s unhappy about the uncovered piles of dirt near the playground left by construction.
“That air, every day with wind, is moving around our community,” Robinson told The Temple News. “We have children with asthma and many senior citizens with respiratory conditions that are being challenged.”
We understand the importance of new, state-of-the-art facilities for academic and extracurricular programs at Temple, and we understand construction can get messy — but we also hope the university remembers the impact its decisions have on the community.
Dozie Ibeh, the associate vice president of Temple’s Project Delivery Group, wrote in a statement that Temple cares about the impact that construction has on the community and will respond to residents’ concerns.
Part of meeting this promise is listening to North Philadelphia residents, like Robinson, who are concerned about the health of their family members and friends. We hope Temple continues to keep in mind those who lived here long before construction began, and deserve a voice in its effects.
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