Packed Greyhound bus station meeting takes unexpected turn: find out why
OLD CITY - A packed meeting in Old City with people turning out to voice their concern over plans for a controversial bus stop took place Tuesday night, without the result anyone anticipated.
The Greyhound bus stop was moved from its longtime location near Reading Terminal last summer to outside a storefront at 7th and Market streets in Old City, then relocated to a temporary spot in Northern Liberties. City officials are said to be considering another Old City location, near a daycare center.
Some parents at the local daycare and some concerned neighbors were all ready to give the city an earful about plans for yet another bus stop location. They knew exactly what they were going to tell city reps about why they want no parts of Greyhound moving next door to a daycare.
"Where the kids are trying to go for walks. It’s very dangerous," stated mom and daycare owner Chloe Levin.
But, just minutes before the meeting, Levin provided an update, saying, "I’m waiting on the city. The fact that the press came, they ran out the door. I don’t know why? I did invite the press."
Someone shouted out, "It’s because all of us are here!"
Philadelphia bus terminal could be moving to Old City
Philadelphia city officials are looking to move the popular Greyhound bus station which also services Peter Pan, Flix buses and other charter buses to Old City after several other previous location changes.
FOX 29's Ellen Kolodziej asked Sharon Gallagher, with the city’s Managing Director’s Office, "So, the city has no comment on this?"
Gallagher replied, "We were invited to come to a parent meeting. It wasn’t a media event and we did not invited the media. We’re happy to talk to the media at any time."
Gallagher says it’s not fair they had no warning the media or other neighbors would be at the meeting. "I mean, if we were told that in advance? We just walked into all these cameras and we just wanted to talk to parents because they asked us to come."
One daycare parent, Jared Kruger, stated, "Other people would probably tape this on their phone and record it so they shouldn’t be afraid to speak in front of cameras or the press or anybody else who is here."
Old City neighbor, Anne Marie Horner, said, "Hard to believe you would come to a meeting you didn’t know what it was?"
Another neighbor contributed, "And leave! Why would you leave?"
Horner continued, "I mean, you could always say, ‘I can’t answer that right now, because I’m not prepared,’ but, I mean, you’re the city’s representative?"
Sharon Gallagher walks out of meeting regarding Greyhound bus line.
Ms. Gallagher says her office would hold a formal news conference another time and she’d be happy to hold another meeting without the media. She also says the city has made no decisions about the bus stop. "We're in a process. This has not been a done deal. We've been saying that all along. We've been listening to community members."
The meeting did go on with Councilmember Mark Squilla, who isn't directly involved with the final decision, but said he'd take the group's concerns to City Hall.