WHEREAS, Kay Sykora currently serves as the Director of the Schuylkill Project with the goal of connecting communities along the Schuylkill waterfront with opportunities for recreation and improved community access to the waterfront; and
WHEREAS, Important improvements under the Schuylkill Project include a $24 million investment in Lower Venice Island Park, $2 million in bike trail improvements, the creation of a conservation site plan for Shawmont and public school programs for environmental education and recreation; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Sykora formerly served as the Executive Director of the Manayunk Development Corporation (MDC) for nearly 20 years as the founding Director. In this capacity, Ms. Sykora worked with the neighborhood and community to transform a small non-profit community development corporation into a successful business and economic development organization; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Sykora's leadership at MDC included an $8 million investment in revitalization initiatives of the canal, $3.5 million for streetscape improvements, $11 million for bridge renovations and numerous other smaller capital projects; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Sykora also championed a wide range of quality of life improvements such as creating, building and managing vehicle parking and managing public relations for a variety of district events; developing earned income programming; leading the designation and implementation of the Business Improvement District and developing self assessment programs for the commercial district; and
WHEREAS, Ms Sykora earned a degree in Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia University and completed coursework in Urban Studies at Temple University. She is active in the community by serving on a number of nonprofit boards, including serving as President and Board Chair on the Schuylkill Heritage Area Board of Trustees, and also serving on the board of Pennsylvania Downtown Center, Pennsylvania Department of Commercial and Economic Development, the Urban Business District Task Force and Interac, to name a few; now, therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the unit block of Lock Street from the intersection at Main Street shall also be named Kay Sykora Way at the entrance into Venice Island in recognition of the dedicated service and tireless effort undertaken by Ms. Kay Sykora to improve communities along the Schuylkill waterfront in Philadelphia.
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