Dear neighbors,

As we roll out into fourth month of rule by our 47th President, you may have noticed some Stranger Things happening — no, we don’t mean season 5, though at this rate a ‘Demogorgon’ might be preferable.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (born to two undocumented Cuban immigrants) has decided that the U.S. needs to secure its borders — not by deporting actual violent extremists, but by deporting F1 visa students who oppose genocide and support Palestinian liberation. More than 300 F1 visas have been revoked this month, and several Permanent Residents have had their green cards revoked for what amount to thoughtcrimes.

The White House has demanded ICE conduct 1200 arrests daily. Unmarked cars filled with plainclothes immigration and customs officers in masks are abducting students and professors from their workplaces and homes, and even in the middle of the street. Those arrested have no criminal records and are not engaged in criminal activity. After arrest, many of these detainees, tourists and citizens alike, are being relocated thousands of miles away to Louisiana, where right-wing judges will sign whatever expulsion papers ICE deems necessary.

Most concerning of all is the lack of broader concern about the black-bagging of students and workers with legitimate visas by masked agents. The general public are far too comfortable ignoring these authoritarian actions. U.S. residents, both undocumented people and visa holders, are low-hanging fruit for the Trump administration, a class of laborers vulnerable to deportation, despite the promises of the first amendment. It’s true that those of us on visas signed beside the small print saying our visas could be revoked; we just never imagined it being so Orwellian.

Technically speaking, we do still have constitutional rights — for the time being. If you’d like to be part of the solution, we suggest you familiarize yourself with what to do if you see ICE in your home, school, or neighborhood.

In solidarity,

Left of Lansdowne

P.S. Need harm reduction supplies like COVID tests, masks, Narcan, or test strips for fentanyl/tranq? Text or call us at ‪(215) 360-3096‬. Please note that this is a volunteer-run non-emergency service.

HOT TOPICS

Committee Topics
Council President Curry has repeatedly invited community members to direct comments and concerns to the appropriate committee. But knowing which committee to go to is easier said than done. For example, Councilperson Hover plans to add traffic safety as a “standing item” for Economic Development, instead of under Public Safety or Infrastructure where it belongs. These arbitrary assignments make it tough for the public to track relevant discussions before plans are presented to council as a whole.

Traffic Safety
Council hopes to install more traffic humps throughout town in 2026. In the meantime, residents can continue to make requests for speed bumps. Other possible changes include bicycle markings on Burmont Rd. and a crosswalk on S. Lansdowne Ave. Residents are encouraged to report unsafe driving and other traffic issues to the county: Report a Vision Zero Concern here. 

Policing
Borough Council approved the Community Support Unit (CSU) Steering Committee’s recommendation for the Police Department to hire a Social Worker. However, concerns remain about police’s dominating influence on other borough projects, such as parking kiosks (see below). The social worker hire is still up for discussion and will be addressed at the Finance, Administration, and Technology Committee meeting on April 8th, at 6pm.

Paid Parking
On the recommendation of Chief Rutherford, the borough has purchased 2 parking meter kiosks for approximately $18k (total). The kiosks will be operated by ParkMobile, who will keep 40-60% of the funds collected. When asked if he had looked into ParkMobile’s data security practices, the Chief could not comment. (ParkMobile has had a severe data breach in the past.) Discussion is still ongoing to determine what the parking fee structure and paid parking hours will be. Local businesses are split on the matter, with some fearing paid parking may deter customers. Public input has not yet been solicited.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

Municipal Support Resolution: 
The borough plans to waive or reduce fees for nonprofits renting borough-run spaces. Council recently approved an amendment to the Municipal Support Resolution to limit eligibility to Lansdowne-based orgs with 501c3 status and a business address in town. At 4/1’s committee meeting, Councilperson Griffin said they intend to propose an additional change to allow community groups without nonprofit status to request a fee waiver too. Unlike 501c3 orgs, these community group exemptions would be voted on by the full council. Further discussion regarding the amendment will take place tonight 4/2 at the borough council meeting.

Technology and upgraded borough website:
The Borough is actively improving its digital technologies, including building a digital policy guide, ironing out event promotion, and upgrading the website. The Borough will be inviting residents to test the new website in the coming weeks — stay tuned.

Native Plant Resolution:
Council passed the Environmental Advisory Council’s long-awaited Native Plant Resolution requiring native plants and sustainable landscaping on borough properties.

Veteran’s Landing:
Council approved a solicitation letter for a Veterans’ Wall at Veteran’s Landing, despite past committee/council resistance due to cost and scale concerns. A dedication ceremony and fundraising initiative are under discussion, though veterans’ groups have not yet been consulted.

Old street signs:
Following the 2024 street sign replacement, decommissioned signs will be sold as a fundraiser for the Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation. We expect updates to come in the near future.

Lansdowne Theater Reno:
The Lansdowne Theater is having an open house on May 8-9 in conjunction with Delco Gives Day. Incidentally, the nonprofit behind the theater renovation has asked for more time to fulfill the requirements of a state grant supporting the redevelopment project. The extension is said to be precautionary, and not expected to be needed.

Library Vision:
The Library Board is writing a new strategic plan for the library that will go in effect in 2026. The plan includes big picture items, statement of values, direction of programming, renovations, etc. A new community survey is available for patrons in-person at the library now and will be available digitally in a week or two. The survey will close in mid-May.

Accessibility Win: 
The Library Board has started using an Owl Labs video system for hybrid meetings, greatly improving accessibility. The Owl is on loan from the Delco Library System, but they are considering purchasing one for Lansdowne, which could be lent out for future programming and events. We’re thrilled to see these efforts to make meetings more accessible. Let the Library know if you want to see more hybrid and accessible programs via email ([email protected]) or when filling out the forthcoming survey.

Upcoming Local Events:
Here are some upcoming events you might enjoy. For a full list of events, be sure to check out the Borough’s Calendar and the community calendar over on the LEDC’s website.

• 4/6: Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is hosting an April 6th Ride on the Darby Creek Trail from Haverford into Lansdowne — with a stop in the Central Business District for a snack and a brief discussion about the status of bicycle facilities in Lansdowne.

• 4/12 (Rain Date: 4/19): Spring Field Day at Hoffman Park, 11 AM - 2 PM. Games and activities for kids of all ages, including the return of the borough favorite egg hunt. If you don’t have little ones but would like to volunteer, please reach out to our Parks and Rec Director via email ([email protected])

• 4/26: Earth Day event at Hoffman Park from 11 AM to 2 PM. Family-friendly activities, live music, nature walks, wildlife encounters, and food trucks. If you’re available to volunteer to make sure that this event goes off without a hitch, please reach out to Dana Robinson at the EAC.

• 4/27: Save the date for Left of Lansdowne’s next Community Potluck. Interested in hanging out with your community over a tasty meal? Join us for a Community Potluck at Scrappy Cat's Alley on April 27th. More details to come closer to the event — we’ll send out a quick newsletter with a formal invite later this month.

• 4/28: Lansdowne Human Relations Commission Open House at the 20th Century Club, 6-8 PM. Learn about the Commission and what services they can provide for our community. They haven’t posted the event on the Borough website yet, but you can probably email the commission at [email protected] to learn more.

UPCOMING BOROUGH MEETINGS