Having trouble reading this? View it in your browser.

space
 
space

MAY, 2013

space
space

PPR Receives Statewide Recognition

space

On March 26, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation received several awards at the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society 66th Annual Conference. Awards included:


Excellence in Programming

  • College/University: Scarecrow Festival in Sister Cities Park (organized by former Penn State University Intern Joshua Daniel)
  • Preschool: Grow Up Green, our environmentally focused tot recreation program

Service Awards

  • John H. “Jack” Snyder Community Service Award: Carousel House
  • Local Governmental Award: Deputy Mayor Michael DiBerardinis
  • Service Group: Philadelphia Parks Alliance

TOP

space
space
space

Broad Street Run Preview

space
space Board Street Run space
space

What does it take to “run” the Broad Street Run and make sure 40,000 runners cross the finish line or at least get to City Hall? We’ve compiled a list of items and the numbers the BSR has amassed to become one of the Top Ten largest races in the country.

    575 Port-a-potties.
    10 Dunkin’ Donuts locations along the race route, the exclusive coffee provider for the BSR.
    5 members needed to be eligible for the Team Competition Division.
    11 water and Gatorade stations along the race route to keep you hydrated.
    $3,000 award for the top male and female finisher.
    6,742 runners registered in 1998.
    12,177 runners registered in 2004.
    35 minutes to take the Broad Street subway from starting line at Broad and Olney to Broad and Pattison. 20 minutes if you catch the express.
    91 degrees in the year 2000 for the hottest BSR, 37 degrees in 1986 made it the coldest.
    34 years the BSR has been chugging along.
    85,000 pieces of discarded clothing along the race route which has been collected and then donated to local shelters for men, women and children.
    45:14 the best time for male finisher Patrick Cheriuyot in 2007 (which was also the fastest 10-miler ever recorded in the USA!)
    53:07 the best time for female finisher Catherine Ndereba in 1999.
    50,000 people are expected to pass through the BSR Expo at Lincoln Financial Field on race weekend.
    4 hospitals along the race course. In the medical tent: 40 cots and stretchers. 12 wheelchairs. 100 chairs. 15 medic units.
    10 bike teams (medics on bikes) 6 skate teams (medics on skates). 15 Army medics.
    24 Army soldiers trained in combat “lifesaving” stationed along the route to recognize runners in distress.
    3 water buffalos (the mini water tank stations, not the roaming ones).
    1 and only 1 Race Director Jim Marino.


TOP

space
space
space

LOVE Your Park Events

space
space

Have you marked May 11-18 in your calendar? With so many LOVE Your Park Week events planned, there’s bound to be one in your neighborhood. Here are a few highlights:

TOP

space
space
space

Recreation Centers and Playgrounds Spring Open House

space
space Spring Open Houses space
space

May 18 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn more
See List of Open Houses

TOP

space
space
space

Funded! Rivera Recreation Center Community Garden

space
space Happy Hollow space
space

Many thanks to the 50 “citizinvestors” who helped us reach our $2,163 goal to build an intergenerational garden at Rivera Recreation Center.

Learn more about the Rivera Recreation Center Community Garden project.

TOP

space
space
space

Spring TreePhilly Yard Tree Program Success!

space
space

This season we had a record 60% pick-up rate on average at each TreePhilly yard tree giveaway location. In total, we gave away approximately 2,000 trees to almost 700 people, and we will probably distribute 2,400 trees total by the end of the season.

TOP

space
space
space

Summer Camps

space
space

Visit our Camps page to learn about this year’s lineup, including:


  • Sports Camps
  • Adventure Camps
  • Arts Camps
  • Environmental Camps
  • Special Needs Camps
  • Neighborhood Day Camps

TOP

space
space
space

Grand Celebration & Ribbon Cutting Planned for Pleasant Hill Park & Fish Hatchery May 14th

By Patty-Pat Kozlowski
space
space Pleasant Hill Park
“In 1921, Philadelphians flocked to Pleasant Hill Beach on the Northeast Philadelphia waterfront as their seashore and leisure time activities.”
space
space

In 1683, William Penn was so smitten with the riverfront of his newly claimed land called “Penn’s Woods” (later becoming Pennsylvania), that he started construction of his home Pennsbury Manor on the banks of the Delaware River. He envisioned fellow colonists following suit where they too could enjoy life, business and recreation on the banks of the river.


In alignment with Penn’s vision, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) awarded Pleasant Hill Park $318,000 in funding for ongoing development projects geared toward providing both greater access and increased recreational opportunities along the Delaware River.


Pleasant Hill Park is a 35-acre park, fish hatchery and public boat launch, managed by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, that is situated on the Delaware River in the East Torresdale neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia.


On Tuesday, May 14, 2013, in conjunction with Love Your Park Week, a grand celebration and ribbon cutting is planned to showcase all the new construction, designs and hard work.


Read More

TOP

space
space
space

Dell Music Center Season Preview

space
space Dell

Start your weekends under the night skies at the Dell this summer, enjoying a variety of national artists! The Dell Music Center will kick off its 41st season of the Essence of Entertainment concert series on Thursday, July 11 and continue every Thursday evening through August 29.


This summer will feature artists like Chaka Kahn, Israel Houghton & New Breed, Fantasia, Jeffrey Osborne and legends like The Bar-Kays and The Dazz Band. Tickets are reasonably priced, ranging from $25 to $60. There is free parking and not a bad seat in the venue.


We offer season tickets (which include premium seats for the 8-concert series) for $300.00 per person. As a season ticket holder you will get the best seats in the house, the convenience of one-stop shopping, and a significant savings of more than $84 dollars.


The full season line-up will be announced this month. For more information, visit http://www.mydelleast.com or call (215) 685-9560. We look forward to seeing you this summer at the Dell, “Where the Stars Take Center Stage.”


TOP

space
space
space

March Madness Competition Results

space
space

Congratulations to American Legion Recreation Center, winner of the March Madness video contest. After four weeks of voting, American Legion finished on top with 38,671 votes. You can view the winning video of youth answering the question “What does a Recreation Center mean to you?” at http://replicacreative.com/marchmadness.


Replica Creative will unveil a custom Creative Wall Graphic at the rec center on May 1.


TOP

space
space
space

Spring Art Show

space
space 2013 Art Show

The 41st Annual Spring Art Show has been on exhibit in the West Gallery at the Free Library’s Central branch (1901 Vine Street) for the entire month of April. This year there are over 300 2D and 3D pieces on display in 22 cases, from artists that range in age from 2 to 92, as well as our Special Population from our Recreation facility participants.


This is our second year in partnership with the library, and the first in which we have included the Mural Arts Program and Arts & Artists Outdoors (A2O) as well.


Each work of art will be judged by a panel, and the public can vote by ballot now through April 30 too. All winners will be honored, and everyone will be invited to join us for an award ceremony to be held at the Carousel House on June 6, 2013.


View more pictures of the Spring Art Show


TOP

space
space

Wheel Fun Rentals and Tours

space
space ‘Tis the season once again for bike and surrey rentals! Enjoy scenic views of the Schuylkill River, or go on a self-guided tour of Center City.

Learn more about Wheel Fun Rentals.

TOP

space
space
space

Shawmont Trail

space
space On March 28 Mayor Michael A. Nutter, City of Philadelphia officials (including Deputy Mayor DiBerardinis and First Deputy Commissioner Mark Focht) and federal officials gathered in Northwest Philadelphia to cut the ribbon on the newly constructed Shawmont Trail; officially opening it for public use. The $1.4 million Shawmont Trail project was led by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation along with the Philadelphia Streets Department with funding from the federal government’s TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Grant, PennDOT, and the Federal Highway Administration.

The Shawmont Trail connects Philadelphia to Montgomery County via a one-mile, natural trail, used heavily by commuters, bicyclists, joggers, runners, hikers and families. The section of trail stretching from Port Royal Avenue to Montgomery County was widened an additional four-feet to comply with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s trail safety standards. The new segment of trail stretching from Shawmont Avenue to Port Royal Avenue allows trail users a safe alternative to sharing the road with automobiles.

Shawmont Trail is part of the larger Schuylkill River Trail and is also part of the Circuit. The Circuit is Greater Philadelphia’s multi-use trail network that connects 250 miles of trails throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with plans to add 500 additional miles of trail to the system over the next 20 years.

Learn more about the Shawmont Trail Project.

TOP

space
space
space

Hissey Park in Kensington Selected for Mural Arts Mural Site

From the PhillyRising newsletter
space
space

PhillyRising and community members selected Hissey Park in the Kensington area as one of the sites for an installation of a mural made possible through a small grant received by the City of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program. Individuals at the Mural Arts Program have begun meeting with community members at Iglesia del Barrio as part of their community outreach process to determine the theme of the mural. The children who attend the afterschool program at Iglesia del Barrio are creating pieces of artwork that the Mural Arts artist is planning on incorporating into the mural. Additionally, the Mural Arts Program plans to work with MIMIC (Men in Motion in the City) to incorporate graffiti art from the teens that they work with into the mural. The painting is scheduled to begin in May 2013, where the community will paint in a large event.


TOP

space
space
space

Tree Top Adventure Course: What is it?

space
space

You may have heard that PPR has been discussing the idea of establishing a Tree Top Adventure Course in the Wissahickon Valley. There have been numerous questions about this proposal and if you would like more information, please go to http://treetopadventure.weebly.com/


TOP

space
space
space

Katie’s Komets Go to Kentucky

space
space

The Katie’s Komets wheelchair basketball team traveled to Louisville, KY on April, 17 to compete in the NWBA 2013 National Tournament after qualifying in their regional tournament last month. The Komets were represented by two teams in the National Tournament-prep team, who play on 8-foot nets, and the NIT team, who play on 10-foot nets (both teams ages 18 and under).


Katie’s Komets play their home games at the Carousel House in West Fairmount Park, and are funded by the Katie Kirlin Fund, which provides financial support and fosters participation in wheelchair sports for disabled children in the Delaware Valley. This is the second consecutive year the 10-foot team has qualified for the National Tournament, and the program is starting to gain a reputation as one of the elites in the NWBA Junior Division, behind coaches Paul Dauphin and Keith Newerela. The prep team is ranked 9th in the country.


Over 85 teams and 800 athletes competed in the 2013 NWBA National Tournament this year.


TOP

space
space
space

Deer Management Program Update

space
space

On March 29, Commissioner Michael DiBerardinis announced the completion and results of the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation deer management program for Winter 2013 and rescinded the temporary curfew for the West Fairmount Park, Cobbs Creek Park, Wissahickon Valley and Pennypack Park areas of the PPR system.


Implementation of the project began in January 2013 and was conducted on 11 nights over the next 10 weeks. In total, 238 deer were removed: 50 from West Fairmount Park, 86 from the Wissahickon Valley, 19 from Cobbs Creek Park, and 83 from Pennypack Park. As a result of the project, nearly 6,000 pounds of venison was distributed through local food banks to feed needy people in the Philadelphia area.


The project was conducted with safety as a paramount concern and carried out with the utmost efficiency and minimal inconvenience to the public. There were no incidents of injury and the public’s respect for the temporary 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew was evident and appreciated.


The amount of deer removed represents a significant step toward reversing the impact of deer overpopulation on the vegetation in these forests and reducing the number of deer-vehicle collisions on Philadelphia roadways. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation will continue to monitor the deer populations in all of its park areas and take the necessary actions to control those populations using the most viable methods available at that time.

TOP

space
space
space

Call for Bands: Summer in LOVE Concert Series

space
space

Ready to share your musical talents with the masses? Sign up to become a performer in the Summer in LOVE 2013 Concert Series.


Perks for bands include:

  • Free on-site parking near stage
  • 16 x 16 concert stage with full PA system and sound technician
  • 15 x 10 full sun shade canopy
  • Social media marketing through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. We will be launching complete concert schedules on all sites, as well as photos and videos of performances.
  • Welcome Center available for bathroom breaks, changing and freshening up

The program begins with a $20 registration fee for every date a band requests, up to a maximum of 3 gigs. Please note that our concert series runs May 1st thru October 31st, every Monday - Friday.


Learn more about performing in the Summer in LOVE Concert Series.

TOP

space
space
 
space