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JUNE, 2013 |
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Broad Street Run Update
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Thanks to our staff and volunteers for another wonderful Broad Street Run. 40,000 runners enjoyed a smooth run in beautiful weather with very few mishaps.
A special congratulations goes out to our own PPR runners, who included:*
- Brian Conti
- Katie Wimsey
- Brandon Vaughan
- Steve Jacobs
- Kevin Murray
*Let us know if we missed you!
View pictures from the Broad Street Run
Independence Blue Cross Run Photos
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LOVE Your Park Week Recap
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Over 100 parks participated in more than 50 events during LOVE Your Park Week this year.
View a selection of pictures from LOVE Your Park Week.
Wissinoming
Pleasant Hill
Hunting Park
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Another Successful TreePhilly Yard Tree Season |
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TreePhilly wrapped up the spring Yard Tree Program by giving away almost 2,500 yard trees to property owners in Philadelphia over the course of 8 different events in April. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society came back as an educational partner to provide tree planting demonstrations, along with staff from Tookany-Tacony/Frankford Watershed Partnership and students from Lincoln High School. This year people who participated in the demonstration entered a raffle to win a free watering bag for their tree, and mulch was also distributed for people to take home for free.
With the partnership of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, Wells Fargo will continue on as a partner through the end of 2014, and the Yard Tree Program will be repeated in Fall 2013, Spring 2014 and Fall 2014.
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A Boxing Champion Among Us |
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The Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame inducted the 2013 class at its 45th annual ceremony on May 19. Among the ten-member class was our own Fred Jenkins Sr., Rec Leader I at Athletic Recreation Center. Fred was honored for his work as a trainer, a job he’s been doing since 1973 (he’s been with the department since 1971). Learn more about this honor
Fred invites everyone to attend “Put Down the Guns and Pick up the Gloves,” a boxing tournament at Athletic Recreation Center on June 5 and 6 sponsored by Fred Jenkins Sr., Showtime and PPR, as well as the July 20 championship at Gustine Recreation Center. All PPR boxing programs are expected to participate.
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Bike to Work Day |
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Once again, PPR partnered with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and Wheel Fun to celebrate Bike to Work Day on May 17. Bicyclists, including Mayor Michael Nutter and Deputy Mayor Michael DiBerardinis, met at Cosmic Café Friday morning and rode down the Parkway to their destination, LOVE Park.
Read more about the Bike to Work ride.
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Knight Arts Challenge Grant to Performing Arts |
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On April 29 Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Performing Arts Office was awarded a $5,000 Knight Arts Challenge grant. The funding will be used to create a pilot program that places two performing arts teachers at six recreation centers for two-month residencies. These teachers will instruct children in our after school programs in singing, acting and dancing. Children who develop a strong interest in the arts will be referred to the city’s performing arts camp. After evaluating the success of the pilot, the city plans to expand performing arts programming throughout the parks system.
Learn more about this pilot program
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City Wins EPA Grant to Plan for the Reuse of Brownfields along the Frankford Creek |
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The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that the City of Philadelphia is one of 20 communities to receive a Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant to conduct research, technical assistance, and training to guide the cleanup and reactivation of potentially contaminated, vacant land along the lower Frankford Creek.
The $200,000 grant to the City of Philadelphia will fund a study of a four-square-mile surrounding the lower Frankford Creek, including sections of the Bridesburg, Frankford, Port Richmond and Juniata Park neighborhoods. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will manage the project. The Department of Parks and Recreation and the Mayor's Office of Grants assisted with the application.
Learn more about this grant
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Philadelphia 76ers and PECO Clean Up Shepard Rec Center
By John Medica, Shepard Recreation Center
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On March 29, the Philadelphia 76ers (6 players and staff) and PECO visited Shepard Recreation Center to kick off their version of the NBA’s Green Week by doing a cleanup of the facility and a meet-and-greet with the players. The 76ers provided the rec center with 50 club box tickets for the April 10 game versus the Atlanta Hawks, which were used to take kids and volunteers to the game.
In addition, PECO plans to make Shepard more energy efficient through the following proposed actions:
- replacing T12 fluorescent light fixtures with more efficient T8s (about 60 fixtures)
- adding occupancy sensor switches to turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms
- replacing old residential-type refrigerators in the kitchen and boxing gym with Energy Star-qualified models
- air-sealing around leaky windows and doors where feasible
Learn more about the Shepard renovation project.
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New Food Trucks |
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On May 1, PPR announced the addition of more than 15 new food trucks to its Food Vending program. Besides operating in LOVE Park during breakfast and lunch hours, the approved trucks are authorized to vend at any PPR parks or recreation centers for tournaments or special events.
Download the list of approved food trucks. Any event organizer that desires to include food trucks at an event can contact Marc Wilken (tel: 215.683.0232, email: marc.wilken@phila.gov) for a current list of licensed food vendors approved by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.
Download the Lunch in LOVE vendor calendar
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Spring Forward: Contemporary Fiber Art in Historic Houses
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In conjunction with LOVE Your Park Week, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation announced Spring Forward: Contemporary Fiber Art in Historic Houses – a fiber art installation at Lemon Hill and Mount Pleasant – two of the historic houses open to the public in East Fairmount Park.
This installation pairs Philadelphia’s leading fiber artists with the historic halls of Lemon Hill and Mount Pleasant. The result is an opportunity to see historic homes in a new light — a juxtaposition of craftsmanship of the past and present.
Fiber art, yarn bombing and soft sculpture are popular forms of contemporary art which are also a safe way to temporarily redecorate – and re-imagine – the park’s historic houses without threatening valued antiques and architecture.
The project began in 2012 when Philadelphia Parks & Recreation issued a call to artists with a design challenge: “Create contemporary art that draws attention to the building’s fine spaces and architectural details...without endangering the integrity of the features or walls (no nails, screws, tacks, staples, etc.)”
Learn more about the selected artists and their exhibits
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Fun Safe Philly Summer Launch
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On May 21 Mayor Michael A. Nutter launched the second Fun Safe Philly Summer at Martin Luther King Recreation Center. Middle and high school students enjoyed a chess tournament, a basketball clinic, Rita's Water Ice and much more.
Visit funsafephillysummer.com for more information about this program.
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2013 Philadelphia Games
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More than 500 participants are expected to compete in the 2013 Philadelphia Games during the week of June 8 through the 14 with a Triathlon on July 20. Open to anyone 50 and older, the Philadelphia Games feature an array of activities including track and field, bowling, golf, tennis, swimming, basketball, table tennis, pickle ball and more. The Healthy Lifestyles Expo is held on opening day at Lincoln High School and will include a Zumba Exercise Class, a Body Pump Clinic, and a Self Defense Class. Over 20 vendors will also be present providing free health screenings and information.
The Philadelphia Games’ growing popularity testifies to today’s increasing emphasis on keeping fit at any age. Whether you are a seasoned athlete who has been competing for years or an eager rookie who is ready to try, the Philadelphia Games offers you an exciting experience. For information about the Games, which will be held at various venues throughout the city, call (215) 685-2736 or visit www.philadelphiagames.org. As always, walk-in registrations are accepted at the door.
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Treetop Adventure Course Update
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PPR believes that experiential programming such as a Treetop Adventure is an innovative and appropriate strategy to promote environmental education as well as to engage future parkland stewards. PPR also believes in a collaborative process when working within a community and that value has influenced the decision to withdraw the Treetop Adventure proposal.
Read the PPR statement, “Withdrawal of Treetop Adventure Course Proposal”
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2013 Dell Music Center Artist Lineup Announcement |
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Artists are subject to be added and/or removed
| Chaka Kahn |
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Israel Houghton &
New Breed |
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Richard Elliott |
| Ledisi |
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Vicki Yohe |
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Funkfest featuring:
- Bloodstone
- New Birth
- Confunkshun
- Bar-Kays
- Dazz Band
- Cameo
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| Fantasia |
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Vonnie Lopez |
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| Joe |
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Jeffrey Osborne |
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| Dominique |
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Stephanie Mills |
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| The Whispers |
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Dave Koz & Friends |
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| The Chi-Lites |
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Gerald Albright |
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| Breakwater |
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Mindi Abair |
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Box office will be open from May 15 - May 24 for season ticket package purchases ONLY.
Special Box Office hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Box office will reopen May 28 for ALL OTHER TICKET PURCHASES
New Payment Plan Option: This season customers will have the option to make an initial $100 non-refundable down-payment for season ticket packages. Final payment must be paid by Monday, June 24.
Season tickets are LIMITED. Visit www.mydelleast.com for more information or call (215) 683-3675. Follow the Dell on Twitter @DellMusicCenter and “Like” us on Facebook.
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Connecting Kids with the Outdoors |
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The outdoor experiences enjoyed by the after school children who took part in “Connecting Kids with the Outdoors” trips to Pennypack Environmental Center during early dismissal days on May 1, 2, 3 were a HUGE success!
The children hiked along the creek, found a baby water snake (no, it didn’t bite), scrambled over rocks, bird watched with real binoculars, played outdoor games in the meadow, and did “can fishing,” a simple fishing technique using cans to cast the line.
A total of 139 children and 22 adults/rec leaders from seven recreation centers/playgrounds attended.
Among the memorable quotes from the children were:
- “Whoa. That bird looks like it’s right in front of me!” (using binoculars for the first time)
- “I love can fishing!"
- “Can I touch the snake?” (finding a baby water snake along the creek)
- “This is the best trip ever.”
- "Wow, those turtles are so cool!"
- “It’s just like the Hunger Games.”
- “This is AWESOME.”
- "I love touching worms."
- “We can climb the ROCK?!”
- "This is so peaceful." (talking about walking in the woods)
- “I want to bring my mom and brother here.”
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Summer in LOVE Kickoff |
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May 1, 2013 marked the 10th Anniversary of the popular free outdoor concert program in LOVE Park, known officially as Summer in LOVE. Each summer local musicians are featured on stage in the park between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., with technical and logistics support from the City of Philadelphia.
Also returning this year is JOETTICS Line Dancing, Summer in LOVE’s longest running and most popular event, drawing large crowds to dance their way to fitness!
Inside the Welcome Center is a unique art gallery, featuring local artists, to inspire visitors. Now through June 9, visitors can enjoy the photography of Steven Powell. His presentation, titled “Fairmount Park Photography,” is a walk through the landscapes of Philadelphia’s treasured open space.
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Commission on Parks and Recreation Update |
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On April 30, 2013 Temple University withdrew its proposal for a new rowing facility on Boathouse Row. Read Temple's withdrawal letter to the Commission (PDF).
The Commission honored two Carousel House volunteers -- Charlotte Anderson (pictured) and Celestine Curtis -- at its May 15 meeting. Besides volunteering at least four days a week for various programs, both women cook dinner for 150 participants at the Carousel House Holiday Luncheon and Black History Celebration every year.
On May 20, 2013 the Commission made its recommendation to Mayor Michael Nutter and City Council President Darrell Clarke concerning the proposed East Park Leadership and Conservation Center. Download the EPLCC recommendation (PDF).
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Welcome America 2013
July 1 - 7
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This year The Roots will serve as the Philly 4th of July Jam house band. Other artists include John Mayer, Ne-Yo, Demi Lovato, Ben Taylor, J. Cole, Grace Potter and Jill Scott.
Other Welcome America festivities include:
- Silver Linings Playbook screening (July 1, 9 p.m. Rittenhouse Square)
- Free admission to National Constitution Center (July 2)
- Free hoagies (4 tons of them!) distributed by Wawa (July 2, 12-2 p.m. Independence Visitor Center Lawn)
- Free concert by Peter Nero and Philly Pops! (July 3, 8 p.m. Independence Hall)
- Day-long “Party on the Parkway” with fireworks (July 4, 12-10 p.m.)
- Taste of Philadelphia (July 5-7)
Learn more
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Philadelphia Neighborhoods Campaign |
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The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s Philadelphia Neighborhoods campaign spotlights 14 visitor-ready areas surrounding Center City. The campaign encourages locals and visitors to explore the neighborhoods’ storied streets, buzzed-about restaurants, emerging art galleries, independent shops, intimate music venues, plentiful parks and annual festivals.
Highlighted neighborhoods include Bella Vista, Callowhill, Cedar Park, East Passyunk, Fairmount, Fishtown, Graduate Hospital, Northern Liberties, Pennsport, Powelton Village, Queen Village, Spring Garden, Spruce Hill and University City.
Learn more at visitphilly.com/neighborhoods or uwishunu.com.
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Job Opportunities |
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Public Events Coordinators, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is currently seeking seasonal employees to work with staff, volunteers, and community members to support, stage, and promote various public programs, events and activities to be scheduled and held daily on Eakins Oval.
These are seasonal positions with no more than 40 work hours per week at a pay rate of $12 per hour.
Download the full Public Events Coordinator job description (PDF)
Urban Agriculture Youth Educator (Northeast)
This seasonal employee will teach children ages 6-12 years old in Northeast Philadelphia after school programs and summer camps. Topics covered include: growing food in raised beds, environmental science and nutrition. He/she will work with staff, volunteers, and community members to maintain and care for various garden/farming projects.
Download the full Youth Educator job description (PDF)
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