The annual precursor to Spring, the Philadelphia Flower Show was a great success as good weather prevailed for most of the week. The early moderate weather has encouraged many local gardeners to venture out of their homes to begin their Spring clean-up and even plant some cool weather flowers and plants.
The Philadelphia Phillies are struggling through another Spring Training in Florida, but optimism remains high for an exciting 2003 season, following the addition of free agents David Bell, Kevin Millwood, and slugger Jim Thome. Could the last year at the Vet bring a National League East championship to Philadelphia?
Both the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers are right in the middle of the stretch run to obtain the best playoff position. Interestingly both remain second in their divisions to teams from the Meadowlands. In the freezing days of January, when both teams were struggling, few could have imagined the success that these two teams would have found during February and March. The question remains will fans suffer another playoff disappointment from either or both teams?
The spring of 2003 will see the wrap-up of construction of the Philadelphia Eagles new home, Lincoln Financial Field, which in on target for a summer opening. Meanwhile, the still unnamed Phillies' ballpark has actually begun to take shape next to Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia. Construction there remains on target for Opening Day 2004.
Meanwhile, other construction projects in the area remain bogged down in a combination of economical, political and neighborhood bickering. The long-awaited entertainment center at Penn's Landing, which is now over five years overdue, is back on the drawing board. Few can agree on the best use of this piece of real estate that remains cut-off from the rest of the city by Interstate 95.
The Mayor's race in Philadelphia has taken shape and begun to heat up. The 2004 race will feature a rematch of incumbent Mayor John Street and Republican opponent Sam Katz. Initial polls find both candidates would receive between 40-42% of the vote, should the election be held today. As expected, Street is dominating the African-American vote, while Katz is receiving heavy support from white voters. The election will come down to who can manage to siphon-off 10% or more of the other candidate's constituency in an almost exact replay of 2001.
Spring in Philadelphia is a great time to get outside and appreciate the beauty of southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey. Take a daytrip to Bucks County, explore Valley Forge National Historical Park or spend an afternoon at Longwood Gardens in Chadds Ford. How about an early Spring weekend shopping in Cape May, NJ or taking in a round of golf at one of the region's excellent golf courses.
PAGE 2 - Guide to Local Spring Activities