August, 2016

Swim Philly

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell was joined by Councilwoman Cindy Bass and members of the Mt. Airy community at Pleasant Playground on July 6 to launch the latest PPR program, Swim Philly. Swim Philly brings fun programming, special events for all ages, comfortable seating and lounges, umbrellas, plants and more to brighten and enliven typically empty pool decks at five neighborhood locations across Philadelphia. Meet your friends at one of the pools below to enjoy the warm weather, participate in Poolside Yoga, Aqua Zumba and Water Yoga, and connect with your neighbors.

Summer Event Reminder

Come out to enjoy some of the exciting events being offered at Philly parks this summer, including free movie nights, concerts, and yoga. Don’t forget to also check out the variety of activities and events happening at The Oval and to stop by the Parks on Tap traveling beer garden to enjoy food, drinks and fun surrounded by nature!

Watch a video to learn more about PPR’s summer fun offerings

Register for the 2016 Boxers’ Trail 5K Run/Walk

Registration is now open for the 2016 Boxers’ Trail 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, September 10. All proceeds from the event benefit Mander Playground in North Philadelphia, which organizes youth programs, including runs along the Boxers’ Trail. Registration is at 8:30am, and the race begins at 9:30am. Register for the Boxers’ Trail 5K.

Need help training for the 5K? Philly Powered is here to help!

Featured Philly Spraygrounds

Now that summer has arrived, beat the heat at one of our many spraygrounds, located in neighborhoods throughout the city. Sprayground hours are generally 11am to 7pm, Monday through Saturday, and feature a variety of sprayers, sprinklers and other fun and festive structures to help you keep cool all summer.

Continue reading about spraygrounds and view listings by location

Boathouse Row Relights with Red, White, and Blue for DNC

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, in partnership with Fairmount Park Conservancy, has upgraded the lighting installation at the iconic Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River, thanks to a generous donation from The Joanna McNeil Trust. On the evening of July 23, with all eyes on Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention, a new display of red, white, and blue lights reflected across the water.

The project team is thrilled to present Boathouse Row in red, white, and blue for the Democratic National Convention delegates through the evening of Friday, July 29. This project though is ultimately a gift to the City of Philadelphia, with the lights returning to their iconic white after the Democratic National Convention. Joanna McNeil Lewis has contributed her time, energy, and resources to many of Philadelphia’s most important institutions, and saw this opportunity as a way to ensure that one of Philadelphia’s most magnificent locations shines brightly for all to enjoy.

Family Triathlon in Hunting Park

Calling all triathletes! Saturday, August 6 is the Hunting Park Family Triathlon presented by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and TriYouthalon. Come out to swim, bike and run on a closed course, and stick around after the race for the annual Hunting Park Family Fun and Fitness Day festivities. For information on the triathlon, visit www.triyouthalon.org. Registration closes on July 29.

Fall 2016 Community Yard Tree Giveaway Grants

The application for Tree Philly’s Community Yard Tree Giveaway Grants is now open!  In partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and TD Bank, TreePhilly is offering five grants worth $500 and 50 or 100 trees for Philadelphia community groups to host yard tree giveaways in their neighborhoods.

Grant recipients will have the opportunity to provide free trees – including fruit trees, flowering trees, and shade trees – to their constituents at special events throughout October and November. All community groups and businesses that serve Philadelphians, including civic associations, community development corporations, nonprofits, schools, faith-based organizations, and local businesses, are encouraged to apply, but only nonprofits and groups with a fiscal sponsor are eligible to receive the $500 award. View the yard tree giveaway grant application.

Jazz in the Park

Head out to Morris Estate Cultural Center this August to see some of the hottest jazz artists in the city! On Tuesday nights through August 16, free jazz concerts will be held at Morris Estate from 6-8pm. The concerts are produced by Sol Unlimited Jazz and Arts in partnership with Councilwoman Cindy Bass and State Representative Stephen Kinsey. Each week’s concert has a different theme, so attend every week for a new style each time!

PPR Celebrates 5 Staff Superheroes

In support of the National Recreation and Park Association’s celebration of Park and Recreation Month and its superhero theme, PPR spent the month of July recognizing several PPR “superheroes” that have gone above and beyond in improving the city’s public green spaces, programs, and/or helping the department run smoothly.

Without our hard-working and truly dedicated staff, PPR would not be able to thrive as a vital resource for the city of Philadelphia.

Philly Skates!

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is offering a range of skateboarding programs and events this summer, including themed skate nights at Rizzo Rink, week-long skateboard camps, and the Philly Cup Skateboard Series competition. Skateboard clinics are also being held at 36 PPR summer day camps citywide. Grab your board and join us for one of our awesome upcoming summer programs or events!

Upcoming skateboarding programs and events:

Learn more about skateboarding programs and events

Civil Service Exam: Recreation Leader Trainee (Bilingual)

Open-competitive, close date of 08/05/2016

This is entry-level recreation work. Employees in this class learn to administer a limited program of activities for the public and provide recreational services and facilities for organized groups. Work includes responsibility for the organization and implementation of assigned programs and for participating with other recreation personnel in providing recreation services. Employees in this class may perform recreation program assignments for a large residential institution or correctional system. Determining community recreation needs and interests, promoting the acceptance of programs, raising funds to support program needs, and motivating participation are of major significance to the work. As the training period progresses, the employee is assigned work of greater complexity and responsibility.

Continue reading about the Recreation Leader Trainee test

Philly Play Expands to 30 Rec Centers for 2016

The Philly Play program, initiated by Councilman Bobby Henon in 2013 to help kids live healthier lives by giving them access to active play opportunities, is now entering its third summer at PPR facilities throughout Philadelphia. Philly Play partners with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to infuse traditional City summer camps with active play and health programming at participating recreation centers and playgrounds. Led by dedicated Philly Play coaches, campers at participating sites take part in activities including dance, karate, boxing, fitness, and other sports.

In its first year, Philly Play held health and fitness programs at just a handful of PPR summer camps, primarily in Northeast Philly. With the support of the City, the program grew to 10 sites around Philadelphia in 2014 and to 15 locations in 2015. This year, Philly Play has expanded to hold programs at 30 recreation centers and playgrounds in locations from South Philly to North Philly, and everywhere in between.

Continue reading about Philly Play

Reminder: Summer TBT Photo Contest

Submit a photo of your favorite summer memory in a Philly park, playground, or recreation center for a chance to be featured on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. We’ll be picking winning photos now through September!

Learn more about the Summer Memory TBT Photo Contest

Unity Cup Recognized by White House

On June 30, a special event was held at the White House that recognized the City of Philadelphia and its launch of key programs designed to create a welcoming city for cultural diversity. Specifically, the Philadelphia International Unity Cup was one of a few Philadelphia initiatives highlighted for its innovative approach to celebrating cultural diversity.

Continue reading about this Unity Cup recognition

Reminder: United by Blue Volunteer Days

This summer, Philadelphia-based coffeehouse and urban-outdoor clothier United by Blue has been hosting cleanup days at watersheds across the region. For every item sold, United by Blue removes a pound of trash from oceans and waterways. United by Blue is seeking volunteers to help out at three upcoming cleanups in Philadelphia. Volunteers will receive snacks from the Living Room Café and Little Baby’s Ice Cream, along with a pint-sized Klean Kanteen stainless steel cup as a thank you for participating. The next cleanup is August 2, so register today! 

Introduction to the Performing Arts Camp Adds New Site in West Philly

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Performing Arts office has added a new site to its Introduction to the Performing Arts Camp for summer 2016. The new site at 48th & Woodland Playground serves children from West and Southwest Philly, and joins the previously established camps at Waterview Recreation Center (Germantown), Holmesburg Recreation Center (Northeast Philadelphia), and Hawthorne Cultural Center (South Philadelphia).

This specialized camp, which began July 5 and ends August 12, is for children ages 6 to 10 who are interested in performing arts. Kids have the opportunity to take classes across a variety of subjects including dance, drama, and vocal music.

Continue reading about the new performing arts camp site at 48th and Woodland Playground

Stinger Square Ribbon Cutting

On Thursday, July 7, City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson of the 2nd District joined PPR Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell and Managing Director Michael DiBerardinis with community members such as Irene Russell, a longtime PPR staffer and community activist, as they cut the ribbon to a renovated Stinger Square. The park, which is located at 32nd and Dickinson Streets, recently underwent a half-million-dollar renovation including a total concrete replacement, replanting of entry beds, planting of a rain garden, refurbished seating, insertion of new games tables, planting of new trees, and removal of dead trees. The renovation was part of Johnson’s overall effort to revitalize the 2nd Council District.

In 94 degree heat, kids splashed in the swimming pool and played volleyball on the newly-installed court. There was excitement in the air for the new additions. With a DJ playing Motown favorites, over a hundred neighbors, residents, and Stinger Square regulars packed the park for the celebration and ceremony.

Summer Programs at Sister Cities Park

This summer, participate in an Outdoor Experience at Sister Cities Park! These environmental education and nature play programs are designed to help young children connect with nature.

The Story Art program, held on Mondays from 10:30-11:30am, is a collaboration between the Free Library of Philadelphia and PPR Outdoor Experiences. Nature-inspired stories and crafts are based on weekly themes; the August 1 theme is air, and the final week will be celebrated with a picnic theme on August 8.

Grow Up Green, held on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30am, is an environmental education program designed to connect young children with nature through play. Participants in the August 3 program will pack a backpack and explore the park on a hike. On August 10, the end of the summer programs will be celebrated with a pretend campfire adventure. All programs are geared toward children ages 3-5 years old, but all ages are welcome.

Learn more about events and programs at Sister Cities Park

Snapshots from the Be Outside Teen Adventure Camp

The photo above is from the Be Outside Teen Program at Chalfont Playground and Gustine Recreation Center. The Be Outside Teen Adventure Camp is a 6-week day camp for youth ages 12-14. Participants are exposed to outdoor physical activities including biking, hiking, boating, kayaking, whitewater rafting, zip-lining, rock climbing, disc golf, and more!

View more photos from the Be Outside Teen Adventure Camp

Photos: Summer Sports at Shuler Playground

Summer is in full swing, and so are summer sports at many PPR parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers. Featured above are photos from the launch of flag football on July 9 (left) and a recent Midrange Morris Adult Basketball League game that drew a large crowd (right), both from Shuler Playground.

Cione Playground Grand Reopening

At the landmark corner of Lehigh and Aramingo Avenues, PPR reopened Cione Playground with a ribbon cutting and dedication in the Port Richmond/Fishtown community on July 27.

The Olde Richmond Civic Association, Friends of Cione, the Cione Advisory Council, Councilman Mark Squilla, and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation opened the newly constructed playground. The children’s play area was dedicated to 31st Democratic Ward leader Peg Rzepski, a community leader and activist who fought tirelessly for a new playground to be built at Cione. Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell and Acting Program Director Anne Marie Dunne were present for the ceremony.  

Urban Youth Academy Ribbon Cutting

On July 21, the City of Philadelphia, Major League Baseball, and the Philadelphia Phillies celebrated the official opening of the Ryan Howard Training Center at the Phillies MLB Youth Academy during a special ceremony at the Academy’s brand-new indoor training center at PPR’s Marian Anderson Recreation Center in South Philadelphia.

The new Ryan Howard Training Center at the Phillies MLB Youth Academy will be used by more than 8,000 Phillies RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) players, making baseball and softball more accessible to underserved Philadelphia youth. The state-of-the-art, 7,500 square-foot indoor baseball/softball training center, which was added to the existing recreation center, is equipped with four retractable batting cages, similar to the batting cages at the Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Fla., which is the spring training site for the Phillies’ minor league players. In addition, RBI players will also have access to fitness training, as well as educational and vocational programs featuring top-notch instruction from mentors including former and current Major League players, scouts, coaches, and many others.

Visual Arts Camp Celebrates Jerry Pinkney Day

On July 19, Visual Arts Camp was invited to City Hall by the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy to attend a reception for Jerry Pinkney, a children’s book illustrator from Philadelphia. Pinkney  has received numerous awards including the 2010 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing The Lion & the Mouse. The children at camp created artwork inspired by Pinkney’s work and presented it to him at the ceremony. Pinkney had kind words of encouragement for the young artists at camp.

Photo: Wawa Welcome America Screening of Rocky

On June 29, about 2,000 participants enjoyed a perfect summer night at the annual Wawa Welcome America screening of Rocky, held on the Art Museum steps.

Update: Feltonville Rec Center Makeover

PPR and the Mural Arts Restorative Justice Guild have completed a restoration and painting project at Feltonville Recreation Center. Learn more about this project and see additional photos.

Tree Keepers Provides Workers with Valuable Tree Care Skills

Tree Keepers is a seasonal green maintenance program, launched in 2011, that teaches participants a variety of skills. These include tree pruning, planting, maintenance, and invasive species identification. The crew also learns how to use a variety of maintenance equipment. Tree Keepers lasts from March through December and is run by PPR’s Sustainable Practices & Operational Standards Manager Andrew Emma. The program serves as a method to give under-employed individuals a chance at seasonal City employment. The Tree Keepers program specifically employs returning citizens and participants of PowerCorps PHL. Tree Keepers covers all PPR-owned land and has worked at over 160 sites since its inception.

Continue reading about the Tree Keepers program

Mander Playground Youth Perform at Invisible River Event

On July 16, six of Mander Playground’s best dancers performed an African dance on the banks of the Schuylkill River at Invisible River’s BECK EPOCH event. For two weeks, the children practiced their choreography, led by their dance instructor Jonathan Delgado-Melendez of Invisible River. The event began with a procession from Mander Playground, down the Boxers’ Trail, to the banks of the Schuylkill River. Once the procession arrived, a number of dance troupes presented their dances to the crowd. The youth from Mander performed exquisitely and were given much applause. After the dance portion of the event was finished, the children kayaked on the river, raced each other on rowing machines, fished, and learned about the importance of the river. It was a wonderful event, and everyone at Mander would like to thank our friends at Invisible River, especially Jonathan Delgado-Melendez and Kristen Shahverdian, for including us in their celebration.

TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon

The TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon, Multisport Expo, Sprint Distance Race, Kids Fun Run, and Olympic Distance events took place Friday, June 24 through Sunday, June 26. 

The Sprint Distance athletes swim 800 meters, bike 15.7 miles, and run 3.1 miles. The Olympic Distance athletes swim 1,500 meters, bike 24.8 miles and run 6.2 miles. 2,200 participants finished over the course of two days, while 3,500 spectators on Saturday and 3,000 spectators on Sunday cheered them on. Click here for more information about the TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon.

Chinese Delegation Visits PPR to Learn about Forestry Practices

On June 21, a delegation from the Forestry Department of Anhui Province in China paid a visit to Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to learn about the City’s urban forestry practices and how those practices could be applied to forests in their province. The six-member delegation toured several U.S. cities as well as locations in Brazil. The delegates, who visited the Horticulture Center, were particularly interested in how PPR manages destructive insects and maintains biological diversity.

Continue reading about the Chinese delegation’s visit

Photo: Rowing Camp at Lloyd Hall

Pictured above are youth who participated in the first of four two-week summer rowing camp sessions with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. At Lloyd Hall on historic Boathouse Row, young people ages 13-17 are taught the basics of the sport by veteran crew coaches and experienced rowers.  The camp is a great opportunity for local teenagers to get out on the river and learn how to row!