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City Councilman Frank DiCicco Wants to Give Bodine Street to Cronies at Finnegan’s Wake

A dumpster belonging to Finnegan's Wake blocks Bodine Street
A dumpster belonging to Finnegan’s Wake blocks Bodine Street

The political shenanigans in this town never cease to amaze nor perplex its citizenry. City Council is considering transforming the underused stretch of North Bodine Street from Spring Garden to Green Street into private property. Why? So the politically well connected bar (and ongoing source of ire and rage for anyone who lives within a few blocks of it) Finnegan’s Wake, which backs up to it, can expand, according to PlanPhilly. The measure, put forth by lame-duck First District Councilman Frank DiCicco, seems fishy enough as is. Turning over the city owned property only benefits the bar, whose owner, Mike Driscoll, is a Democratic Committeeman. But when compared to what’s going on at the park and community garden at 4th and Manton streets in South Philly, it’s an outrage.

A dumpster belonging to Finnegan’s Wake blocks Bodine Street

There, volunteers from the community, with the consent of DiCicco’s office, have been steadily fixing up the abandoned park, picking up and clearing away decades of overgrown weeds, trash and illegally dumped construction debris for months. And now, with park looking its best in ages, the Friends of Manton Street Park & Community Garden have learned that their efforts were a waste of time, because the park and its surrounding lots were put up for sale. The insult to injury? That sale was authorized by a measure put forth by DiCicco back in May, according to the Daily News. It was passed by City Council in May and signed by Mayor Michael Nutter.

City Council considers abandoning part of Bodine Street, making way for bar expansion [PlanPhilly]
S. Phila. neighbors toiled months, not knowing real-estate deal might take park [Daily News]

City Councilman Frank DiCicco Wants to Give Bodine Street to Cronies at