WHEREAS, Currently, the Philadelphia Prison Department utilizes the facility at 5100 Pennypack Street for training operations. This facility is also leased by the City to the Holmesburg Gun Club for recreational and training purposes; and
WHEREAS, The Holmesburg Gun Club, which has over 1400 members, has used this facility for over 70 years; and
WHEREAS, The Holmesburg Gun Club was informed through written correspondence in August 2007 that their lease was being terminated effective December 31, 2007; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of the lease termination is to expand training operations at the facility for Philadelphia Prison guards; and
WHEREAS, While members of City Council have intervened and asked the Prisons Commissioner to try to work out a shared usage agreement with the Holmesburg Gun Club, a reasonable resolution has not yet been worked out; and
WHEREAS, On November 29, 2007, Bill 070937 sponsored by Councilwoman Krajewski was enacted. This legislation transferred 5100 Pennypack Street from the Department of Public Property to the Fairmount Park Commission. While this legislation did not prevent the termination of the lease, it gave the Fairmount Park Commission the authority to draft a lease which could be more favorable to the Holmesburg Gun Club if they deemed appropriate; and
WHEREAS, At a public hearing on Bill 070937, representatives from the Philadelphia Prisons Department stated that shared use of their training facility was not necessarily appropriate; and
WHEREAS, Identifying an alternative property to serve as the Philadelphia Prisons training facility could be the best solution for both parties involved; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED,
BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That City Council’s joint Committees on Public Safety and Public property is hereby authorized to hold public hearings to explore alternative sites for the Philadelphia Prison Department’s training facility.
End