Calling upon The City of Philadelphia and Fairmount Park Commission to allow the Boy Scouts to remain in the facility located at 22nd & Spring Streets until they obtain a suitable new location, and urging them to compensate the Boy Scouts in full, for any and all improvements which they have made to the facility throughout the term of their lease.

WHEREAS, In 1928, the City of Philadelphia gave the Philadelphia Council of the Boy Scouts (now known as the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts, and referred to here as “the Boy Scouts”) permission to build, at its own expense, a building located on City land located at 22nd and Spring Streets; and

WHEREAS, As reflected in the grant of permission, set forth in an ordinance of Council approved December 14, 1928, the building was to become “at once the property of the City”; and

WHEREAS, Pursuant to the terms of the permission granted to the Boy Scouts, the building and property is to be surrendered to the City within one year after notice of a desire to terminate given by the Commissioners of Fairmount Park, with the approval of the Mayor and City Council; and

WHEREAS, The Fairmount Park Commission and the Mayor, through the City Solicitor, provided notice of eviction from the property to the Boy Scouts on July 20, 2006, subject to withdrawal upon agreement by the Boy Scouts to pay fair market rent; and

WHEREAS, The Boy Scouts notice of eviction was inopportune, and does not allow the Boy Scouts adequate time to search for a suitable new facility; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of their lease, the Boy Scouts have paid for numerous improvements to the facility located at 22nd and Spring Streets which is a city owned facility and thus, the City of Philadelphia should compensate them for the improvements; and

WHEREAS, The Boy Scouts have provided countless community services to The City of Philadelphia and have offered innumerable programs for hundreds of thousands of children since 1928, all at no cost to the City; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby Calls upon The City of Philadelphia and Fairmount Park Commission to allow the Boy Scouts to remain in the facility located at 22nd & Spring Streets until they obtain a suitable new location, and urges them to compensate the Boy Scouts in full, for any and all improvements which they have made to the facility throughout the term of their lease

End