By: Amy Hopf, Digital Content Associate
This spring and summer, we’ve been hosting groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings across the city to kick off or celebrate new or renovated parks, playgrounds, and trails. Having trouble keeping up? Here’s a summary of where we’ve been.
Waterloo Playground groundbreaking (June 18)
(Groundbreaking event pictured above)
Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, Councilwoman María Quiñones Sánchez, and former Philadelphia Eagle Connor Barwin hosted a groundbreaking ceremony with community members at Waterloo Playground. The groundbreaking marks the start of the first phase of a construction project that will result in new basketball courts, pool renovations, stormwater interventions, and a creative and natural play space with an improved tot lot. This a partnership with Make The World Better, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization founded by Barwin that works to inspire community members through public space renovation.
Rail Park opening (June 14)
Commissioner Ott Lovell, Mayor Jim Kenney, Friends of the Rail Park, and the William Penn Foundation gathered with community members to officially open the first stage of the Rail Park. Phase 1 is a 1/4 mile section, featuring green space, benches, a walkway, beautiful wooden swings, and views of the city. Once completed, the park will turn three miles of unused rail lines built by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad companies into green space.
Centennial Commons dedication (June 13)
We marked the completion of the first phase of the Centennial Commons in West Fairmount Park with many partners and community members. Led by Fairmount Park Conservancy, Centennial Commons is a new park-within-the-park that is designed to make this section of West Fairmount Park more accessible and welcoming for all visitors. This phase includes freshly laid walking paths, a rain garden featuring native plants, giant porch swings, and 68 new trees.
Max Myers Playground dedication (June 12)
Commissioner Ott Lovell, Councilwoman Quiñones Sánchez, Councilman Bobby Henon, and State Representative Jared Solomon joined community members to mark the completion of a substantial renovation at Max Myers that resulted in a new playground and additional site furnishings.
Wissinoming Park ribbon cutting (June 8)
We celebrated the completion of this $1.5 million renovation project, which features a new playground and sprayground, an improved path, new site furnishings and plants, a renovated picnic grove, security cameras, and two rain gardens. The renovation came from a partnership among Parks & Rec, Philadelphia Water, Councilman Henon, Councilwoman Sanchez, Fairmount Park Conservancy, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In addition to the park renovations, Mural Arts Philadelphia partnered with the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia to create an inspiring art mural, titled “Cultivate Respect” on the Wissinoming Playground building.
Frankford Creek Greenway dedication (June 6)
We celebrated the official opening of the first phase of the multiphase Frankford Creek Greenway with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Commissioner Ott Lovell and other city officials. The 1.2-mile trail segment connects Aramingo Avenue and Wheatsheaf Lane to Delaware Avenue and Lewis Street and is part of the Circuit Trails, a regional network of trails in Greater Philadelphia that when complete, will include more than 800 miles of multi-use trails in the region. The Frankford Creek Greenway will create a vital connection between the regional Circuit Trails network via the Tacony Creek Park Trail and the East Coast Greenway.
June 5 Memorial Park dedication (June 5)
The June 5 Memorial Park was dedicated in a special ceremony held five years after the tragic collapse of the Salvation Army Store at 22nd and Market Streets killed six people and injured 14 others. Families of the victims joined city officials in marking the opening and unveiling the memorial sculpture, intended to be a lasting reminder to uphold construction safety standards.
