Our diverse and dynamic neighborhood includes residents, businesses and services that welcome you home. There are some great discoveries only to be made on North 5th Street. Our vibrant and unique commercial corridor offers an exceptional variety of international dishes to try and outstanding services at your doorstep. Our safe, wide, and walkable streets are home to an ethnically diverse group of neighbors that take pride in their community and welcome newcomers.
There are many ways to get involved and show care for our neighborhood. Stay up to date on trash pickup, report quality of life issues to 3-1-1, vote in your local elections, and attend meetings for neighborhood groups such as the Logan Civic Association, Fisher Park Community Alliance, and the 35th District Town Watch. Looking for additional residential resources? Reach out to us and we will do our best to point you in the right direction.
Work close to home by finding a job with one of Olney’s many local employers. N5SRP maintains a free jobs board showing open positions. Local businesses and employers in Olney are invited to submit postings as well!
In Olney we have the home to fit you and your family. Our diverse housing stock offers something for everyone, from singles to families to seniors, all can enjoy the close-knit feel of the Olney neighborhood. A third of our residents rent apartments in small buildings or two family homes. About 56% of Olney residents own their own homes which vary from classic Philadelphia brick rowhomes, to twins, and stone and brick single family dwellings in the tree lined streets near Fisher Park.
Our churches in Olney are as varied as our residents. Ten churches provide worship opportunities for a wide variety of faiths, while offering a range of vital community programs and daycare options.
Olney has five traditional public grammar schools (Lowell, Finletter, Morrison, Grover Washington, Jr., and Marshall) that offer your children quality education within walking distance of home. There are two middle schools, and both public and parochial high schools (International Christian High School and Olney ASPIRA Charter High School).
Our recreational opportunities include 23 acre Fisher Park, which has an active volunteer organization that provides summer time programs in addition to regular seasonal activities by the City of Philadelphia Parks Department. Fisher Park has a football field, basketball and tennis courts, and a wooded hiking area. There are 5 other recreation centers, sport fields, and playground sites throughout Olney: Olney, Barrett, Sturgis, Ziehler and Cherashore. We also neighbor the 30 square mile Tookany/Tacony-Frankford watershed, which provides ample outdoor recreational opportunities.
Our beloved Greater Olney Branch of The Philadelphia Free Library is open six days a week and is located at the heart of our corridor at North Fifth and West Tabor Road, providing enrichment through a number of social and community events. The Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia is located on North 5th Street near Somerville Avenue and features Cambodian dance groups among other cultural activities. Our friends at Olney Culture Lab also produce multimedia projects and events that celebrate the culture of our neighborhood.
When it comes to everyday errands, shopping is very convenient in Olney. The neighborhood is home to a mile and half long commercial corridor along North Fifth Street that features grocery markets, a wide variety of ethnic restaurants, dry cleaners, banks, and health care providers (dentists, chiropractors, doctors) that speak your language. The neighborhood also has two traditional shopping centers with a ShopRite and other larger stores. Check out our Visitors page and Directory for more information.
We circulate an email newsletter quarterly to our Community Announcement mailing list. Please sign up at the bottom of this page. The news is mostly geared toward events on North 5th Street but we also include events from our community partners happening throughout Olney. Can’t wait for our next email announcement? Check out our Events page to search our calendar of neighborhood happenings.