Cindy Roberts remembered – a transformative leader of Friends of Clark Park

Cindy Roberts dishing out her historically-accurate (& tasty) Victorian trifle dessert at Dickens' Birthday Party, 2011.

Cindy Roberts dishing out her historically-accurate (& tasty) Victorian trifle dessert at Dickens’ Birthday Party, 2011.

Cindy Roberts, a West Philadelphia lover and mother who led the Parent-Infant Center, before that Spruce Hill Neighbors Ass’n, & before that Friends of Clark Park, was remembered today at the historic Arch Street Friends Meetinghouse.

250 people turned out to remember Roberts, a talented journalist & savvy businesswoman who committed to West Philadelphia when West Philadelphia wasn’t fashionable. She raised a family here and helped transform her community by her hard-nosed, fierce intelligence & her sense of humor.

Roberts played a transformative role in developing the 2001 Revitalization Master Plan for Clark Park, which laid out a long-term investment plan amounting to $2 million. About 2/5 has been implemented so far – close to $1 million of public investment inspired & unleashed by Cindy. She taught West Philly how to look beyond parochial concerns & petty bickering, & build together a public space where all of us can advance ourselves & our city.

The park you enjoy & frolic on today is Cindy Roberts’ fruit. Remember that when next you set foot on its soil.

Our mission, as FRIENDS OF CLARK PARK, is to learn her lessons & to carry out her mission. In helping to build a park & keep it live, you are building & keeping your community alive.

Ours are the actions that will endure after Cindy’s actions have returned to dust. We who love Clark Park as she did, must make an extra effort to carry on her mission of raising West Philadelphia to what it deserves to become.

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