October, 2013

Art in the Park

Don’t miss this free arts and crafts class traveling to six parks in Philadelphia now through October 12, 2013! The schedule is as follows:

4-6 p.m.

• Monday at Malcolm X Park
• Tuesday at FDR Park
• Wednesday at Vernon Park
• Thursday at Campbell Square
• Friday at Marconi Plaza

Saturday (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.) at Fisher Park

All ages are welcome.

For more information, call Valerie Arhondakis at (215) 683-1997 or visit facebook.com/philavisualarts.

View additional Art in the Park photos.

The Oval’s Fall Return

On the heels of a wildly successful inaugural summer of community-friendly programming and entertainment at the transformed Benjamin Franklin Parkway, The Oval has reopened for two special fall-themed weekends, September 19 through September 22 and October 10 through October 13.

From July to August, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy, converted Eakins Oval on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway into The Oval, a hip urban oasis full of activities for people of all ages to enjoy. Also known as the City of Philadelphia’s “New Shape of Fun,” The Oval featured a wide variety of unique community programming, ranging from interactive games and activities, educational programs, entertainment, food and beverage trucks and much more.

On September 19, The Oval was activated once again with programming, events and activities for all ages for the first of two signature fall weekends. In conjunction with The Philadelphia Collection 2013, The Oval was transformed into “Styled at The Oval, The New Shape of Fashion.” The fashion-themed weekend included a fashion show, a free fashion movie screening, local fashion vendors, food trucks, a wine garden, live entertainment and much more. The Philadelphia Collection is a weeklong series of fashion and style events, founded by the City of Philadelphia, the Center City District and the Philadelphia Retail Marketing Alliance.

Thursday, October 10 through Sunday, October 13, the “Park on the Parkway” will take on a seasonal theme as, “Harvest at The Oval, The New Shape of Fall.” Each day will offer fall-themed community programming, ranging from autumn food and beverage vendors, PHAIR open air markets, pumpkin decorating, a costume party and much more. Continue checking The Oval Events Calendar for event details as they’re added!

Philly Play! Launch and Fall Fest

Saturday, September 28
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
6700 and 6800 blocks of Torresdale Avenue

The Philly Play!, Fall Fest will bring together traditional street fair activities with fun, family-oriented play opportunities. In addition, Fall Fest will feature:

• Free healthy family checkups
• Information on new health insurance enrollment from regional health partners such as Independence Blue Cross
• Farmers’ market
• Food trucks
• ZoomDance action-adventure station
• Giant obstacle course, rock climbing and Velcro walls
• Live music

Philly Play! promotes fun, accessible fitness and wellness in the 6th Council District, highlights the importance of physical activity and play as preventative health measures, especially to elementary-aged children and fosters an encouraging environment where people of all skill and fitness levels can engage in a physically active lifestyle. Philly Play! includes a variety of events, programs and tools that residents can use.

Food Day in Sister Cities Park

Food Day is a nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable and sustainably produced food. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is committed to the principles of Food Day and is hosting a celebration of food and culture in Sister Cities Park. Come join in the fun!

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Food Day Celebration!

Thursday, October 24, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Sister Cities Park (18th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway)

The fun includes:

• Mobile Farm: Come explore the GreenerPartner’s Farm Explorer, a living, hands-on mobile farm that lets youth and families dig-in and connect with food from seed to plate.
• Story and Crafts: Bring your youngsters, ages 2-6, for an hour of storytelling and crafts all about the ancient Iroquois legend about corn, beans and squash as three inseparable sisters, led by PPR Garden Educators.

11th Annual Lucien Blackwell Boxing Showcase

Weigh-in and registration: Saturday, October 12, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Athletic Recreation Center (1400 North 26th Street, 19121)

Fight Nights: Thursday, Friday & Saturday, October 24-26, Gustine Recreation Center (4863 Ridge Avenue, 19129)

Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.: 12 championship fights each night
Saturday at 1 p.m.: 16 championship fights

Tickets available at all Philadephia Parks & Recreation boxing facilities. Adult tickets are $10; children 12 and under are $5.

For more information, call Fred Jenkins at (215 978-9196 (4-7 p.m.) or (215) 681-6022 (after 7 p.m.).

Fall TreePhilly Campaign

September was a big month for TreePhilly! On September 16, its fall yard tree giveaway began. Once again, individual property owners can request up to two free yard trees and religious or community organizations can request up to 10 free yard trees. Also this fall, for the first time, TreePhilly will have a limited number of fruit trees. Register online between now and October 31.

On September 18, TreePhilly celebrated its 100,000th tree giveaway at Marconi Plaza with Mayor Michael A. Nutter, TreePhilly participants, the Friends of Marconi Plaza, Wells Fargo leadership and representatives from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy. In addition to the announcement that, with the help of TreePhilly, 100,000 trees have been planted since he became Mayor in 2008, Mayor Nutter also recognized 25 prominent community members for their commitment with framed artwork.

Fall Family Fun Days at Sister Cities Park

Celebrate fall each October Saturday in Sister Cities Park with music, crafts, family friendly activities, and pumpkins for sale, along with fall-themed food and drinks from Milk and Honey Café.

Additionally, scarecrows designed and built by children in Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s After School Program will be on display in the Children’s Discovery Garden. PPR staff will conduct scavenger hunts, fitness, crafts and Grow up Green activities. Visit sistercitiespark.org for a full schedule of activities and events.

Discover the Hidden River at Grays Ferry Crescent

To promote Grays Ferry Crescent, one of Philadelphia’s newest green assets, the Schuylkill River Development Corporation, in partnership with SecondMuse, Public Workshop, and The Hacktory hosted a series of creative events in September. Luckily, there is still one event left:

September 27, 7-9 p.m. Light Up the Crescent: Firefly Swarm/Bike Parade hosted by The Hacktory.

Summer by the Numbers

• Neighborhood Day Camp Registrants: over 6,245 at 131 sites, including three new ones
• Specialty Camp Participants: 1,850 youth participated in 37 specialty camps this summer including archery, basketball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, and rowing
• Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) Teens Hired: 909 (an increase from previous years)
• Swimming Pool Attendance: 820,102 at 75 pools
• Over 2,000 engaged in aquatics programming
• Approximately 8,000 ash trees surveyed and tagged through our Emerald Ash Borer Management program
• The Dell Music Center 2013 Essence of Entertainment concert series ended August 29 after hosting eight concerts this summer.
• Over 42,000 patrons attended concerts during the 2013 season with an average of 76% capacity per show.
• Attendance increased from the 2012 season average of 52% capacity per show.
• In addition, the Dell hosted a Kidfest with over 1,000 youth and had two community events – Philadanco and the Recovery Idol.
• 951 children and 247 counselors at PPR’s summer camps visited the environmental centers for a nature discovery program where they hiked, bird watched, and explored the creek or received a nature program (like “Greener Bubbles”) at their summer camp.
• 43 children were enrolled in Environmental Education’s (EE) Summer Adventure camps where they hiked, cooked in the outdoors, fished in the creeks and much more!
• 12 tweens/teens enrolled in EE’s Out-n-About camp, kayaking, camping, hiking, climbing a ropes course at Go Ape in Maryland, cooking outdoors and more.
• 30 teens enrolled in EE’s Teen Adventures where they toured Fort Mifflin, bicycled through the Pennypack to the Delaware River, visited Historic Rittenhouse Town, swam in a lake at Round Valley Recreation area and much more.
• 305 children and 139 adults participated in Story Art at Sister Cities, featuring weekly nature-inspired stories and crafts.
• Based on PPR’s Trail Counter technology along the Schuylkill Banks, the average weekday along the Banks sees over 2,000 individuals walking, biking, jogging, roller blading and just enjoying the park with the lovely views of the Schuylkill River. On weekends, this number increases to over 2,500 users. IN 2012, there were almost 900,000 users of the Schuylkill River Trail, making it one of the most heavily used trails in the entire region.

View more PPR Summer Numbers

2nd Annual GLOW in the Park

On October 24, the Fairmount Park Conservancy will light up the historic boathouse at FDR Park as part of its Second Annual GLOW in the Park celebration. Attendees will enjoy a fun evening with other park lovers over a sampling of Philly mobile food truck fare, cocktails and music.

Purchase tickets online or call Jeanette Arthur, FPC’s Special Events and Operations Manager, at (215) 988-9334.

Grow Up Green Returns

The award-winning Grow Up Green Environmental Tot Recreation program has been awarded an additional year of funding from PNC Bank. Through this program, Tot Recreation programs receive weekly visits from PPR staff who teach an environmental lesson and conduct fun activities with the children.

The Fairmount Park Conservancy has partnered with PPR to write the proposal and provide administrative support; Mary Grace Gorman manages the project with program support from Anda Phan and Lisa McLaughlin.

Look for more information and photos as we move into full programming!

Register for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation After School Programs

Have you included After School Program registration on your back-to-school To Do list? Sign up now for one of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s 80 After School Program sites city-wide, and your child will enjoy structured activities ranging from fitness/sports training to art lessons to outdoor play and more!

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Celebrate Lights On Afterschool on October 17!

Each October, one million Americans and thousands of communities nationwide celebrate Lights On Afterschool to shine a light on the after school programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation continues its involvement in this important program: On Thursday, October 17 between 4 and 6 p.m., children from our after school programs will gather at Sister Cities Park to celebrate after school programming. Scarecrows designed and built by children in PPR programs will provide the backdrop for fall-themed activities, and Deputy Mayor Mike DiBerardinis will be the featured speaker. Stop by and join in the fun!

Frankford Creek Greenway Feasibility Study

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation invite you to the first public meeting about the Frankford Creek Greenway concept and feasibility study:

September 30

6:00-7:30 PM

Juniata Golf Club House

1391 E Cayuga Street

Learn about this project and give City staff feedback on proposed alternative alignments.

PPR and Settlement Music School Form Partnership Program for Children

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Settlement Music School have announced a collaboration that will bring Settlement’s expertise into PPR’s facilities.

The pilot program is the formation of a regional children’s band at Hawthorne Cultural Center, located at 12th and Carpenter streets in South Philadelphia. Beginning October 24, children ages 10 to 16 will practice twice a week from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., culminating with spring concerts at different sites around the city, including the new Manayunk performing arts theatre, opening in 2014.

Currently, PPR and Settlement are seeking children ages 10 to 16 who play a band instrument to take advantage of this opportunity. Parents or guardians of interested children can register online or call (215) 685-2217.

Rivera Intergenerational Garden Orchard Planting Day

On September 12, the Philadelphia Orchard Project, Mann Older Adult Center, Rivera Recreation Center and the PPR Youth Urban Agriculture Program planted Phase One of the new orchard in the Rivera Intergenerational Garden. Spirits were high as about 30 people congregated to plant Paw Paws, Pie Cherries, Kiwis, Currants, Gooseberries, Raspberries and Blueberries. In the spring, we will plant Phase Two, which will include perennial pollinator plants and groundcovers. The gardeners are looking forward to their first harvests next year! View more pictures of the orchard planting at Rivera Recreation Center.

East and West Park Visioning Process

PennPraxis, in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, is undergoing a visioning process for East and West Fairmount Park. As part of this process, we are hosting a series of open community meetings to learn about how community members use the park, how to make it easier for them to use the park, and what types of uses they think we should add.

Two of the open community meetings have already taken place, but another two are scheduled for next week:

• Monday, September 30, 6 p.m. at Discovery Charter School
• Wednesday, October 2, 6 p.m. at Lloyd Hall

Download the community meetings flyer to learn more.

Refurbished Basketball Court at Heritage Rec Center, Thanks to the Beyond Sport Summit & Awards

On September 6, Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Beyond Sport and members of the North Philadelphia community celebrated the opening of a refurbished basketball court at Heritage Recreation Center (15th and Clearfield streets). The court was created as a legacy project of the 5th Annual Beyond Sport Summit and Awards in Philadelphia.

Using a generous donation from ESPN, the Beyond Sport Foundation has worked in partnership with Connor Sport Court International and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to renovate the basketball court at Heritage Rec. The state-of-the-art Sport Court PowerGame surface installed is an all-weather, multi-purpose product that will provide a safe, attractive, lasting, high-performance court.

PPR’s First Park(ing) Day!

On September 20, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy joined activists, artists, architects, and other citizens in transforming metered parking spaces into temporary public parks. Known as Park(ing) Day, this annual event re-imagines the possibilities of 170 square feet of public space. The event celebrates parks and other public spaces in cities across the country, and raises awareness of the need for more pedestrian-friendly spaces in our urban areas.

View additional Park(ing) Day photos

Second Annual Boxers’ Trail 5K Run/Walk

On September 14, 137 walkers and runners gathered at the starting line of the Boxers’ Trail 5K Run/Walk. Part of Strawberry Mansion Day, the run/walk offered the experience of enjoying the wooded trails where heavy weight boxing champ Joe Frazier trained.

Cheering them on were Council President Darrell Clarke, Deputy Mayor Michael DiBerardinis, First Deputy Commissioner Mark Focht, Jackie Frazier-Lyde and Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame Trainer Fred Jenkins Sr. (Rec Leader I at Athletic Recreation Center).

The Athletic Boxing Club (ABC) won the race trophy, and proceeds from the run benefitted Mander Recreation Center. After the run, Mander hosted a day of food, education and entertainment.

View more pictures from the Boxers’ Trail 5K Run/Walk

Save the Date: LOVE Your Park Day

This year’s Fall Love Your Park Day will take place on Saturday, November 16. Join volunteers across the city and help spruce up Philly’s neighborhood parks. Learn more at loveyourpark.org, then sign up online to volunteer at your favorite park or call the Fairmount Park Conservancy at (215) 988-9334.

PPR KEYSPOTs Respond to Mayor Nutter’s Goals

Shortly after taking office, Mayor Michael A. Nutter put forth a list of five specific goals to strive after in his administration. While setting up and operating the 19 PPR KEYSPOTs (public access computer sites in Rec Centers), providing over 160,000 uses since the first one opened in May 2013, we kept these goals in mind. Continue reading to see how we did in the past two years.

PPR & PWD Welcome International Visitors

On September 19, eight members of the Japan Ecosystem Conservation Society visited two Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) project sites on PPR property. The sites were Wises Mill stormwater wetland and Bell’s Mill stream restoration, both in Wissahickon Valley. The group was interested in learning more about these projects, green stormwater infrastructure in general, and about managing natural lands in an urban context.

After climbing out of their van, the visitors presented gifts to their American hosts, including organizational banners, postcards that mimic paper cuttings, copies of their society newsletter (a portion is in English), and a box of candy! The well-dressed men were cordial and attentive as staff from PWD, Friends of the Wissahickon, and PPR explained various aspects of the projects and natural area management. The interpreter, Ken Yoshiya, was the visit organizer and only U.S-based member of the society present. Some “common ground” was found in comparing introduced plant species that are invasive in Japan and the US. One member noted that goldenrod, a US native plant that was blooming at Wises Mill, is problematic in Japan. PPR reciprocated that Japanese honeysuckle, another species at Wises Mill, is problematic in the US. Both groups had a chuckle about that.

According to Mr. Yoshika, the” Japan Ecosystem Conservation Society is one of the major think tanks and environmental groups in Japan,” and they are working closely with government agencies at several levels to promote the protection of natural areas in their country.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Partners with Philadelphia Welcomes U!

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation announces its partnership and endorsement of PHL Welcomes U!, a free, educational program that empowers Philadelphians on the front lines of service and in public-facing roles with the tools they need to create meaningful, positive experiences in Philadelphia.

PPR is offering the courses to its employees that guide participants through real-world experiences and situations they may encounter on a daily basis. Skills learned throughout each module will be tested through short quizzes, allowing participants to earn the designation of “Certified Hospitality Professional” (CHP) after successfully completing the program.

Although conceptualized within the travel and tourism industry, the PHL Welcomes U! curriculum is geared toward creating PHL “Ambassadors” within a variety of industry segments and special interest groups, including retail, education, transportation and city work. The experience gained through the courses will improve customer service skills, build confidence when interacting with the public, and increase participants’ overall value as an employee and citizen.

As an added bonus, users who successfully complete all of the courses will automatically be entered to win a grand prize courtesy of the Philadelphia Phillies: 4 lower level tickets to a home game, a personalized home jersey, opportunity to watch batting practice from the field, and an exclusive pre-game tour. In addition, PHL Welcomes U! students will be randomly selected throughout the year to win great prizes to regional attractions.

The program was developed by the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB). For more information on PHL Welcomes U!, visit www.phlwelcomesu.com.

Roxborough Reservoir Stewardship Plan

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation recently received the completed Roxborough Reservoir Stewardship Plan, a master plan for the 35-acre site in Upper Roxborough. Natural Lands Trust (NLT) in Media, PA developed the plan over a 13-month period. They met with community leaders, PPR staff, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and others to gather information. They also held three public meetings in the neighborhood to solicit input and provide feedback. A challenging aspect was that through much of the planning process, PWD was constructing a major stormwater management facility on the site, markedly altering its physical conditions.

The completed plan has three primary components: 1) a site analysis; 2) a public use profile; and 3) recommendations for the site. Recommendations are described for such measures as traffic calming, parking, signage and trails. The recommendations are shown graphically on a concept plan page in the report. NLT also produced a landscape planting plan that guided planting and seeding associated with the PWD’s stormwater project. A unique characteristic of this site is the annual toad migration to and from the “wet” basin on the northwest side of the old reservoir.

Continue reading about the Roxborough Reservoir Stewardship Plan

Parks and Recreation Commission News

Member Profile

Name: Matthew Perks

Professional Background: Career prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office

Community: Wynnefield Heights (for the last three years after 25 years on Rittenhouse Square)

Favorite Philadelphia Event: Tough call, but I'll have to go with the LOVE Park holiday tree lighting

Best Park or Recreation Experience: Riding my bike on the Schuylkill River Trail – Locust Street along the river, past the Art Museum and Boathouse Row on the Drive, the Manayunk Canal and through the woods – priceless! One of the best bike rides in the world.

Commission Insight: Seeing again and again how important the parks and recreation centers are to the fabric of our communities – meeting new people who care about the quality of life in their neighborhoods.

September 11th Commission Meeting

Finley Recreation Center

Insights and inspiration were on the agenda at the recent regularly scheduled public meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission. This meeting was held at the Finley Recreation Center. Deputy Mayor Michael DiBerardinis headed a report on what has been a very busy summer season for the department, including information about the success of the first year of “The Oval” initiative in front of the Museum of Art.

In addition to regular committee reports, the Commission also saw a presentation of the Trails Master Plan by City Planner Jeannette Brugger and got a look at the Philadelphia Parks Alliance’s guide to the Open Lands Protection Ordinance. Members of the public were able to ask questions of the Department Staff and Commission members with topics ranging from the need to control noise at picnic sites to inquiries about playground repairs and maintenance. Finally, another deserving PaRC Star was awarded to Philip Jackson, a long-time youth basketball coach at the Finley Recreation Center.

The next Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 20 at the American Swedish Historical Museum. For more information about what’s going on with the Parks and Recreation Commission, visit and friend the Commission on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PhilaParksRecCommission.

How I “Park & Recreate”: Tim Clair

As the father of two small children, Tim Clair, the Fairmount Park Conservancy's Senior Director of Operations and Planning, spends a lot of time in Philadelphia's parks. Usually, Tim and his family are in Carpenter’s Woods and the Wissahickon (“The kids love to hike, be by water and the streams,” Clair says), but often they visit friends in other areas of the city and venture to their neighborhood parks, and to check out special events and programs like The Oval. "My wife and I both grew up in a rural area," Clair shares, "so having those resources in Philly feels like a connection to where we came from."

In his new role at the Fairmount Park Conservancy (FPC), Clair is combining his interest in urban parks and open space with his experience working for nonprofit organizations. While planning for the growth of FPC and managing its finances, Clair will remain connected to the organization’s mission through hands-on involvement with programming like LOVE Your Park.

Now a few weeks into his position, Clair says he is impressed by both the public/private partnership between PPR and FPC, as well as the scope of our work. “[This job is] opening my eyes to other gems of the Philly park system that I didn’t know existed, and I’ve lived here for close to 20 years,” Clair says. “I look forward to, whether on a solo bike ride or taking the kids along, go explore some of the places that weren’t on my radar. It’s amazing what we have here.”