AUGUST, 2017

NaturePHL

This August, children around Philadelphia will be attending their annual well child visits with pediatricians. Along with their routine check-up, patients at some Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Primary Care Practices may also be receiving prescriptions for outdoor activity! This summer, NaturePHL launches at CHOP Primary Care Cobbs Creek and Roxborough. The program – a collaboration between the Schuylkill Center, CHOP, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and the US Forest Service – will connect primary care pediatric health and wellness with nature and time spent being active outdoors.

Learn more about NaturePHL.

Camp Philly

On July 12, we launched the first-ever Camp Philly program! Camp Philly is a new partnership between Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and YMCA Camp Speers that will provide an opportunity for 9- to 11-year-olds to experience the independence of camping in a rural setting. Starting August 13, Camp Philly will run two one-week sessions at 1,100-acre Camp Speers, located in the Poconos. Campers will participate in a wide range of programming, including archery, horseback riding, drama lessons, and swimming.

Learn more about Camp Philly.

Recent Ribbon Cuttings

We recently celebrated the opening of a few new facilities: we hope you’ll stop by and explore! You can check out new spaces and amenities at:

• Shakespeare and Pennypacker Parks, providing additional open space for events along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway;
• Palumbo Park, featuring new seating and landscaping;
• Shepard Recreation Center’s new roller skating rink, the first of its kind in our system.

Learn more about our recent ribbon cuttings.

Play Philly Kick-off

On July 6, we officially kicked off a summer of Play Philly fun with Vogt Recreation Center campers and staff. At 28 of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s summer camps, trained Play Philly staff have implemented special active play and health programming to make sure that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. The program will culminate in the 2017 Play Philly Summer Challenge on August 9, where campers will compete in various events to show off the skills they’ve learned!  

Celebrate Summer in Philly Parks & Playgrounds

Summer is heating up, but we’ve got plenty of ways to cool down and chill out in parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers across the city:

• Pools & spraygrounds: With 120+ locations across the city, get ready to (swim)suit up and start splashing! Enjoy additional activities and amenities at our five Swim Philly locations.
• The Oval+: Back for a fifth season, now through August 20, The Oval+ brings movies, music, food, drinks, and more to the Ben Franklin Parkway. Check out the full events calendar for all of the fun we’ve got planned, and be sure to let us know “What’s Your Parkway?” at on-site installations and our on-line survey.
• Special park & playground programming: Movie nights, concerts, yoga… and Parks on Tap, our traveling beer garden! One special addition this summer? The Twilight Music Festival on MLK Jr Drive near the Dragon Boat Dock, a Sunday evening concert series running now through August 27.

Check out all of our summer events and activities.

Accepting Applications for Plants Make Positive Places: Native Plant Garden Program

With the power of dedicated staff and volunteers, more native plants will be blooming at recreation centers and urban parks this year. These home-grown native plants are part of a program called “Plants Make Positive Places” (P3), which focuses on beautifying green spaces, amplifying Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) landscapes’ educational and ecological impact, and increasing PPR’s native seed reservoir. The program participants attended a garden training focused on plant identification, watering strategies, and garden planning. P3 is currently taking applications for both new gardens and past gardens with plans to keep growing native plants on park property. Applications are due Friday, August 25.

For application information, email Dan Feeser at info@p3phila.org

Aerial Adventures in West Fairmount Park

This coming spring, explore West Fairmount Park on a whole new level: up in the trees! Treetop Quest will create and operate a five-acre “aerial adventure” obstacle course, complete with zipline, at the intersection of Chamounix Drive and Ford Road. As part of course construction, invasive plants will be removed and new public trails will be added. Treetop Quest will also provide 1,000 free vouchers for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation summer camps, giving our campers a new way to experience the outdoors.

We’ll share updates as they become available, so keep an eye out for more info in upcoming newsletters!

Junior Baseball Federation: 70 Years of Baseball

The Junior Baseball Foundation (the “JBF”) was formed in 1948 by Bob Carpenter, owner of the Phillies, and Connie Mack, Manager and part-owner of the Philadelphia Athletics, to coordinate and help fund the City’s Youth Baseball programs.  The JBF develops the resources needed to provide this support primarily through the sale of ticket vouchers that, this year, are redeemable for one of five designated regular season Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park (one of which is against their former hometown rivals, the Athletics).

Learn more about this year’s Junior Baseball Federation Benefit games and how you can help.

Boxers’ Trail 5K Run/Walk: Save the Date

On Saturday, September 9, walk or run the scenic cliff paths of the Boxers’ Trail in East Fairmount Park where heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier trained. Proceeds from the Boxers’ Trail 5K benefit Mander Recreation Center in North Philadelphia, which organizes youth programs, including runs along the Boxers’ Trail. On-site registration is at 8:30am and the race begins at 9:30am.

Learn more and register in advance for the Boxers’ Trail 5K.

Summer Reading with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Read by 4th, and Tree House Books

This summer, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation campers are building their home libraries and their reading skills, with help from Tree House Books and Read by 4th! Thanks to this partnership, campers will resist the “summer slide” -- loss in educational attainment over out-of-school time -- with a donated take-home library of engaging, age-appropriate books, as well as programs to help track their reading progress.

Learn more about our new summer reading partnership.

Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center Updates

We’ve got the latest scoop from Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center (VIPARC), including a recent performance of Improv Island, and the upcoming premiere of WILD: a devised Clown Western produced by VIPARC’s in-house theatrical group, ShoeBox Company.

Learn more about what’s new at VIPARC!

Disston Recreation Center Updates

Disston Recreation Center has had a great start to the season, with the kick-off of their Summer Concert Series (continuing through August 10!) and the recent donation of basketballs for summer campers.

Learn more about Disston Recreation Center’s first concert of the season, and the 6th Man Project’s visit and donation to Disston Summer Day Camp.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Food Program

Did you know that Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) is a part of the city’s Summer Meals Program? Last year, PPR served 1.7 million meals to youth 18-and-younger, including breakfasts, lunches, and snacks! This year, that work continues as recreation centers, day camps, neighborhood playstreets (blocks closed to traffic, offering meals and activities), and more distribute USDA-approved meals citywide. PPR’s Food Program has been running for over 40 years, helping to feed our community’s children.

Learn more about the city’s summer meals program, including distribution locations.

Staff Profile: Kymberly Porter

On a recent overcast summer morning at Jefferson Playground, Grounds & Facilities Maintenance Worker 1 (and current acting crew chief) Kymberly Porter brought the sunshine! Kymberly was all smiles as she explained her day-to-day work at playgrounds and recreation centers throughout North Philadelphia.

Learn more about how Kymberly and her crew help keep playgrounds safe, clean, and ready to use.

Lloyd Hall Updates

Walk, bike, drive, or row (like the summer campers above!) to Lloyd Hall for activities this summer:

• On Tuesdays at 6pm, a new Women’s Self Defense Class will be offered based on participant interest. Contact instructor Floyd Smith at 267-770-6635 to learn more.
• A new session of Walk With Ease, a six-week walking program designed to help folks exercise safely and comfortably, kicked off on June 26 and will continue through August 4. For more information, contact Kara Sapp at 215-685-3936.

Star Players History & Updates

The Star Players of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation have just completed their most recent show, A Night of Disney, to outstanding reviews and enthusiastic audiences! The revue show featured many of your favorite Disney songs and dances, and had two performances at Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center.

Learn more about the Star Players’ history – and their next production, coming in October! – on our blog.

Rebuild Update

We’re excited to see Rebuild – a transformative seven-year, $500 million investment in Philly neighborhoods – moving forward with the official approval of City Council! Now that the project has been authorized, Rebuild staff will soon launch a series of information sessions for small local vendors in the design and construction industries to learn more about how to work on Rebuild.

Sign up for updates on contracting opportunities.

Community Propagation Program

You may have heard of our Community Propagation Program, a partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society: now, see it in action! Farm Philly Propagation Specialist Arielle Narva shares the scoop on this initiative, which gives more than 30 organizations, farms, small business, and community gardens a spot to start their seeds at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center.

Check out the full story (and plenty of pictures!) on our blog.

C.B. Moore and Mander Recreation Centers’ After School Programs Visit Broadway

After School Program children from C.B. Moore Recreation Center and Mander Recreation Center recently had the opportunity to see a production of Aladdin on Broadway!