Top 5 stories to watch for in Northwest Philly

Here’s a look at stories NewsWorks will be covering in Northwest Philadelphia this upcoming week:

1. Legendary tennis pro Bill Tilden lived in Germantown as a child. He attended Germantown Academy (when it was in the neighborhood) and played at the Germantown Cricket Club. To date, though, there are no historical markers in the neighborhood that mention Tilden’s deep ties to Northwest Philadelphia. One resident is trying to change that. Check back next week to learn more.

2. On Thursday, Germantown United CDC will hold its first-ever fundraiser. For the past two years, the nascent organization has worked hard to lay down a strong foundation in the neighborhood and be seen as a trusted community ally. Now, it’s time to raise some money. Former Gov. and Mayor Ed Rendell will be the event’s keynote speaker. As he was before the event was postponed a few weeks back because of inclement weather, he’s expected to discuss what he feels is the recipe for creating thriving commercial corridors, a cornerstone of GUCDC’s mission. Check back next week for more details.

3. On Saturday, residents and city officials will gather at McDevitt Recreation Center in East Falls for a ribbon-cutting event months in the making. The “forgotten” Scotts Lane site is now home to more than a quarter-million dollars of new playground equipment, a “sprayground” area and more thanks to residents speaking up and Fourth District City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. listening. Check back next week for more details.

4. Martin Arnold and his East Durham Street neighbors have had a giant sinkhole gumming up traffic for three weeks now. Getting out of the neighborhood has been a real headache throughout. Parking, too. Recently, though, it appeared as if the might finally be getting better. Check back next week for more details.

5. Nice and Fresh, a monthly performing-arts series in Germantown, has come to a close. Organizers created the event to give artists the opportunity to test out new work and make the performing arts more accessible and affordable for Northwest Philadelphia residents. Check next week to learn more.