PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More than 100 kids and families on Sunday took over the Tiffany Fletcher Recreation Center in West Philadelphia for a Double Dutch meetup that doubled as a community block party
The former Mill Creek Playground, renamed last month in honor of a Parks and Recreation employee killed on the job by a stray bullet last year, was filled with joy on Sunday. Some kids played basketball. Others bounded through a bounce house, while still more ran through sprinklers to stay cool on a hot July day. Families enjoyed water ice and pretzels. And surrounding neighbors sat on their porches, watching the fun.
But the main event was the Double Dutch Meetup hosted at the rec center. Ashley Baldwin, founder of the meetup, says she wanted to bring the community together with the event.
“We bringing nostalgic block parties back,” Baldwin said. “Double Dutch is bringing families outside. We are shining light on small businesses — and also coming together. You don’t see that a lot.”
Many in attendance, like Nataye Dixon from Philly’s Logan neighborhood, got wind of the event on social media and decided to come out.
“I love double Dutch,” she said. “I taught my daughter how to jump double Dutch years ago. It’s fun, it’s great exercise, it’s positive and great for the community. I just love it.”
Nixon says what also makes double Dutch great is the unity it instills in the community.
“It’s unfortunate when a lot of negative things happen — especially in the city of Philadelphia. But we’re bringing positivity back, promoting positivity,” she said.
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And those who took a moment to remember the horrific gun violence that took the life of Tiffany Fletcher there just a year ago — they say her light still shines over the space.
“I’m glad that we can honor her and come out in a positive light, because actually she was very positive, she was extremely smart. Beautiful,” Dixon said.
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