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NOVEMBER, 2016

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Don’t Miss the Unity Cup Finals!

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Only four teams remain in the Philadelphia International Unity Cup, presented by Goya. Who will take the trophy at this first-ever Philly soccer event? Join us for the semifinals at Temple University on Sunday, October 23 and the final game at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, November 5 to find out!

 

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LOVE Your Park Fall Service Day Volunteer Registration Now Open

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Along with Fairmount Park Conservancy and our citywide network of Park Friends Groups, we are issuing a call for volunteers to help clean, green, and celebrate Philadelphia’s parks on Saturday, November 12!  LOVE Your Park is one of the largest grassroots volunteer efforts in Philadelphia. Over 85 Park Friends Groups – small groups of committed neighbors who help to maintain their neighborhood parks – will participate in the Fall Service Day, and we need your help to plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, prepare our public green spaces for winter, and more! 



A complete list of participating parks, including details on timing, location, and projects, is available here. Volunteers are encouraged to register to participate online or by calling the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Stewardship Office at 215.683.3689.Families, kids, and large groups are welcome! 


Learn about LOVE Your Park Fall Service Day, explore the list of parks, and register to volunteer

 

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Fall Festivals and Activities

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Every fall, our amazing volunteer Friends Groups and partners plan fun, family-friendly Halloween and fall-themed events. Take a look at our featured events for apple festivals, Halloween parties, movie nights, fall flea markets, and more!


View the full list of Halloween and fall-themed events

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APA Names Fairmount Park One of America's Great Public Spaces

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Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park was named one of this year’s 15 Great Places in America by the American Planning Association (APA), which annually honors neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces for their character, cultural identity, and use of sustainable practices. Fairmount Park is one of five honorees in the APA’s “great public spaces” category, which honors areas within the public realm that help promote social interaction and a sense of community. Fairmount Park was chosen for its unique planning story — the park represents one of the first efforts to protect a municipal watershed by altering land use to protect the Schuylkill from pollution and degraded water quality — as well as its many options for active and passive recreation.


Read more about the award in the Philadelphia Inquirer story

 

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Reminder: Roots2Rise Yoga

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Through a special partnership, PPR and the organization Roots2Rise have brought yoga programming to nine recreation centers and playgrounds throughout Philadelphia this fall. Roots2Rise is committed to bringing the benefits of yoga to various communities that traditionally haven’t had access to wellness programming. Roots2Rise classes are open to all levels; instructors welcome beginners to advanced students ages 15 and older to participate. All weekly classes are $5, with the proceeds benefitting those who are unable to afford a yoga class.


View a full list of Roots2Rise yoga class locations and dates

 


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Next to Normal at Venice Island Performing Arts Center


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The Tony award-winning contemporary musical Next to Normal​ is playing at Venice Island Performing Arts Center from Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 30. ASH Theater Company and Shoe Box Company are co-producing this local production, which features professional and up-and-coming Philadelphia performers. This show is not recommended for those under the age of 12. Ticket prices range from $15 to $25 and are available at tix.ashtheater.com or by calling 215.987.0016. 

 


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Fall Foliage in Philadelphia


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Across the city, the green leaves of summer have begun to turn into the fiery reds, yellows, and oranges of fall. With one of the largest urban park systems in the country, Philadelphians have a unique opportunity to explore and view fall foliage from a number of impressive locations throughout the city. Peak fall foliage in the greater Philadelphia region will take place from October 21-31 this year, so be sure to visit some of our favorite parks, trails, and paths to view the beautiful fall color at its peak!


View the list of the top places to view fall foliage in Philadelphia

 

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Fall Programming at Carousel House


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PPR’s Carousel House Recreation Center offers socialization as well as recreational and educational services to persons with disabilities. Opened in 1972, it was the first municipal facility in the United States dedicated to this mission. On October 8, the 26th Annual Carousel Ball took place. The theme of this year’s event was “Celebrating the Olympics: We are ALL Champions,” and guests dressed to impress and were adorned with medals. Erica Young, the director at Carousel House, reports on a busy fall thus far, with more events and programs planned for the coming months. Programs and events open for registration include a special populations basketball league, Halloween Dance, movie nights, vision-impaired bingo, and dance, ceramics, music, arts and crafts, and exercise classes.


Continue reading about fall programming at Carousel House

 

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Top Fall Hikes in Wissahickon Valley Park


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From paths through Houston and Andorra Meadows to Forbidden Drive, you cannot go wrong with any trail in Wissahickon Valley Park in autumn. Every park entrance will lead you to beautiful fall foliage and wildlife actively preparing for winter. Wissahickon Environmental Center Environmental Educators Trish Fries and Tony Croasdale have rounded up a list of their favorite trails in the park to hike during the fall months, which will take you through some of the park’s most scenic locations. Try to visit them all before the colors of fall give way to winter!


View the full list of fall hikes in Wissahickon Valley Park

 


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Lights on Afterschool


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On Thursday, October 20, several Philadelphia Parks & Recreation playgrounds and recreation centers will participate in the Lights on Afterschool initiative. Lights on Afterschool is a nationwide program, run by the Afterschool Alliance, that has been celebrated every October since the year 2000. Its goal is to recognize the role that these programs play in keeping kids safe, promoting learning, and helping working families.


To celebrate, PPR’s After School programs have coordinated a diverse pool of activities that will showcase what makes their programs great. Through these projects, After School program participants will demonstrate lessons they have learned on topics such as physical fitness, healthy eating, and academics.


Continue reading about Lights on Afterschool

 


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Available Jobs


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Urban Park Ranger 1

Open-competitive, close date of 10/28/2016


This is park ranger work at the full performance level in the Department of Parks & Recreation Park Ranger Program. Employees in this class are responsible for patrolling Fairmount Park and enforcing park rules and regulations. Providing the initial response to park medical emergencies and notifying the appropriate municipal and/or state agency of issues that warrant their attention are significant aspects of the work. Work is performed under the direction of an Urban Park Ranger Supervisor.


Continue reading about the Urban Park Ranger 1 position


Recreation Leader 3

City-Wide Promotional, close date of 10/21/2016


This is supervisory and participatory recreation work directing a large staff, administering a comprehensive program of activities for the public and providing services and facilities for organized groups at a major recreation center. Employees have controlling responsibility for the organization and implementation of programs at a major recreation center. Employees in this class supervise lower level recreation leaders in the administration of a recreational program for a large residential institution or correctional system. Determining community recreation needs and interests, promoting acceptance of programs, raising funds to support program needs, and motivating sustained participation are major aspects of the work. Duties require scheduled evening and weekend work and moderate physical effort. Work is performed under the general supervision of a higher level recreational supervisor.


Continue reading about the Recreation Leader 3 position

 

 


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Philadelphia Marathon


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The countdown is on, and only about a month remains before the 2016 Philadelphia Marathon race weekend! This year’s race weekend will take place November 18-20, with the half marathon, 8K, and kids fun run taking place on Saturday, November 19 and the marathon on Sunday, November 20. Registration will remain open until November 1 or when the races reach capacity.


The Philadelphia Marathon course is consistently listed among the top ten courses in the country. The route is recognized for its flat terrain, mellow weather, and tens of thousands of spirited fans. Runners can expect beautiful views through Fairmount Park and along the Schuylkill River and neighborhood crowds gathering on sidewalks in University City and Manayunk. PPR and the Philadelphia Office of the City Representative partner to produce Philadelphia Marathon weekend.


Learn more about Philadelphia Marathon race weekend and register to participate

 


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The Seasons of Rizzo Rink


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Rizzo Rink is a unique facility in the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation system. While ice hockey is Rizzo’s primary focus, a wide variety of other programs are also offered there throughout the year. Rizzo has six seasons divided by the programs offered, including winter ice skating and hockey, spring dry sports (roller hockey, ball hockey, and skateboarding), and summer camp activities.


Continue reading about Rizzo Rink and how the activities vary there from season to season

 


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TreePhilly Fall Yard Tree Giveaways


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The TreePhilly Fall Yard Tree Giveaways are underway! Three giveaways have been held so far this month, and three additional giveaway events remain (October 29, October 30, and November 5). A total of 1,400 trees will be given away through these events this season. While pre-registration for each of the giveaways is closed, walk-ins will be accepted while supplies last. Philadelphia property owners can receive up to two trees per planting address, along with free mulch and planting and care instructions, at designated Yard Tree Giveaway locations. Learn more about the trees TreePhilly is giving away this season here.


Learn more about the TreePhilly Fall Yard Tree Giveaways

 


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PPR Scarecrow Festival at Sister Cities Park


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Stop by Sister Cities Park before the end of October to see the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Scarecrow Festival! This annual exhibit is a partnership between the PPR After School program and Center City District. The scarecrows were created by kids from more than a dozen PPR facilities, including Rivera Recreation Center, Vogt Playground, and McVeigh Park & Recreation Center, who were grouped into teams to create these unique symbols of the autumn season.


Learn more about visiting Sister Cities Park or view photos from the Scarecrow Festival

 


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Meadow Mansions: Designing Homes for Fairmount Park’s Winged Residents


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In cooperation with the 2016 DesignPhiladelphia Festival, the Fairmount Park Conservancy commissioned 12 artists and designers to interpret the festival’s theme of “home” to create structures to help attract birds to the adjoining meadow of East Fairmount Park and raise awareness about these critical habitats. The structures will be on display at historic Mount Pleasant Mansion on Friday, October 21 (3-6pm), Saturday – Sunday, October 22-23 (10am-4pm), Friday, October 28 (3-6pm), and Saturday – Sunday, October 29-30 (10am-4pm), before being installed in Fairmount Park’s meadows to entice nesting species and serve as sign-posts for reminding park visitors that the meadows provide important habitat for birds. A series of related talks, walks, and workshops will be held by PPR in partnership with Audubon Pennsylvania.


Learn more about the “Meadow Mansions” exhibit and upcoming events

 


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Financial Literacy Classes at Roosevelt Playground

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On Tuesday evenings in October and December, a series of free financial literacy workshops will be presented at Roosevelt Playground. Each workshop in the four-week series will focus on a different topic; week one will focus on banks and mortgages, week two on credit scores, week three on budgeting, and week four on an introduction to investments and retirement. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Call 215.685.8754 to register.


Where: Roosevelt Playground (6455 Walker Street)


When:  Tuesdays in October (4th-25th) and Tuesdays in December (6th-27th)


Time:  7:15-8:00pm


Continue reading about the Financial Literacy Program   

 

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Operations Staff Profile: Kirk Starchia

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Kirk Starchia has been working for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation for the past four years. He is currently a Grounds and Facilities Maintenance Worker 2 in PPR District 8, which covers parks and recreational facilities in West and Southwest Philadelphia. Kirk’s typical workday depends on the season, but some of his job responsibilities include raking leaves in the fall, plowing snow in the winter, preparing and maintaining ball fields, cutting back brush on trails, stripping and waxing floors and cleaning at recreation centers, and landscaping activities such as weeding and grass seeding. His dependability and enthusiasm about maintaining and improving Philadelphia’s parks and recreation centers make him a valuable member of the PPR team. 


If you see Kirk or another PPR maintenance staff member when you are out enjoying one of the City’s parks, be sure to thank him or her for a job well done!


Read Kirk’s full profile

 

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South Philly Fall Recreation League Registration

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Registration for South Philly fall recreation leagues is now open, and spots are still available in co-ed soccer and touch football programs at multiple locations including Murphy Recreation Center, Barry Playground, Palumbo Recreation Center, and Capitolo Playground. Detailed league and registration information is available here.

 

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Q&A with EmmaKate Martin, FarmPhilly Garden Wagon Educator

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EmmaKate Martin is FarmPhilly’s Garden Wagon Educator and Garden Technician. With a background in vegetable farming, she found her place as the Garden Technician for all edible gardens in PPR’s garden inventory and a traveling educator for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s urban agriculture program, FarmPhilly. Before the garden wagon was developed, EmmaKate was the West Philly Garden Educator for FarmPhilly. Now she visits various PPR centers and events, using the garden wagon to teach lessons to participating kids. In its first year, the garden wagon was utilized at over 30 locations, serving 845 kids.


Read the Q&A with EmmaKate about the Garden Wagon program

 


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“Once an ABC fighter, always an ABC fighter”


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Philadelphia has an impressive track record of producing some of the best boxers in the world, from legends like Joe Frazier, Jimmy Young and Charlie “Choo Choo” Brown to more recent champions like Bernard Hopkins, David Reid, and Jesse Hart. Commercially, the sport of boxing may have peaked in the 20th century, but it still thrives in many North Philly neighborhoods today.


Local boxers look to Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Athletic Recreation Center for training and entertainment. All year, Recreation Leader Fred Jenkins trains boxers of all ages and skill levels at the Athletic Boxing Club (ABC Gym). Every fall, Jenkins and a team of Athletic Recreation Center staff organize the annual Lucien Blackwell Amateur Boxing Tournament, which attracts rising amateur boxers and spectators from all around the Mid-Atlantic region. Over the three days of the 14th Annual Lucien Blackwell Amateur Boxing Tournament this year, which was held from September 29 to October 1, upwards of 1,200 spectators, coaches, and trainers watched 37 fights.


Continue reading about the Lucien Blackwell Tournament and Jenkins’ boxing trainees


Looking for a boxing program? Twelve PPR recreation centers offer programs for all ages and skill levels. Read more about boxing programs offered at PPR facilities

 

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Penn Treaty Park Playground Groundbreaking

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On September 27, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Managing Director Michael DiBerardinis, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, and Councilman Mark Squilla participated in a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of renovations to the playground at Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown. Friends of Penn Treaty Park and students from Adaire, Hackett, and Saint Laurentius schools also attended the event.


Improvements will include landscaping, conservation of the park’s obelisk sculpture, a new playground with ADA accessible equipment and new safety surfacing, and the addition of a turtle sculpture, which will represent the Native American history behind Penn Treaty Park. The ceremony culminated with a blessing by Nanticoke Leni Lenape tribal councilman Reverend John Norwood and with officials and students breaking ground to mark the start of the renovation.


Continue reading about the Penn Treaty Park playground groundbreaking

 


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Celebrating Archives Month Philly: A History of Philadelphia’s Department of Recreation


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October is Archives Month Philly, a time for celebrating archives, the work of archivists, and Philadelphia’s rich history. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation houses the Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives, a collection of over 10,000 archival documents focusing on a variety of aspects of the Philadelphia park system history, including a wealth of material on the parks’ architectural history.


To celebrate Archives Month Philly, PPR is featuring a series of weekly posts highlighting the rich history of municipal recreation in Philadelphia. Each week, we will be sharing an installment of, “A History of Philadelphia’s Department of Recreation from 1880-2010,” a narrative researched and written by former PPR historic researcher Meredith Leep.


Read the first three installments in the series

 


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South Philly’s Newly Renovated DiSilvestro Playground


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On July 5, DiSilvestro Playground reopened its doors to the Point Breeze community after two years of closure. The playground was demolished in 2014 to be reconstructed as one of the four facilities in the South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center on Broad and Morris Streets. In addition to the newly renovated playground, the 96,000-square-foot building houses a brand new CHOP pediatric primary care center, Philadelphia Department of Public Health community health center and the South Philadelphia Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. This type of collaborative facility is the first of its kind with the primary purpose of combining health, literacy, and recreational services all under one roof.


Continue reading about DiSilvestro Playground

 


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Parks and Recreation Commission Welcomes New Members


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Nine new members were recently appointed to the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Commission (PaRC). In total, the Commission consists of 15 members, nine of whom are appointed by the mayor from nominations made by City Council and six of whom serve ex officio, including the President of City Council and the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission or their designees, the Water Commissioner, the Streets Commissioner, the Public Property Commissioner, and the Parks & Recreation Commissioner. Each of the highly qualified Commission members has demonstrated skills and knowledge about park and recreation matters.


PaRC holds several public meetings a year. The next meeting will be held on Monday, November 14 at 6pm at Venice Island Performing Arts Center.


Continue reading about the new Parks and Recreation Commission members

 

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History of the Fish Hatchery at Pleasant Hill Park


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To celebrate the rich history of Philadelphia’s parks and recreational facilities, PPR is highlighting historic structures located at parks and recreation sites throughout the city. The first structure to be highlighted in this new monthly series is the Fish Hatchery at Pleasant Hill Park, a 35-acre park along the Delaware River in the Torresdale section of Northeast Philadelphia. The history of the hatchery extends back to the early twentieth century, when a section of the park property was part of the Pennsylvania’s Department of Fisheries’ Torresdale Fish Hatchery. While the hatchery is no longer in operation today, visitors to Pleasant Hill Park can still participate in a variety of fishing programs at the park’s stocked hatchery ponds.


Continue reading about the history of the fish hatchery

 


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Pleasant Hill Park Fishing Programs


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PPR held a variety of free fishing programs this year at Pleasant Hill Park in Northeast Philadelphia. The park’s riverfront location and stocked ponds make it an ideal location for holding programs that teach children how to fish and get the community involved in fishing. The highlights of this year’s fishing programs at Pleasant Hill Park include:

  • 21 Community Fishing Days were held on Saturdays this spring, summer and early fall, where 728 fish were caught.
  • 1,214 children from 32 different PPR day camps visited Pleasant Hill Park this summer for fishing, arts and crafts, field games, canoe tutorials, and watershed education. The summer campers caught 319 fish.
  • 4 local teenagers from Northeast Philadelphia were employed over the summer as youth workers for summer camp programming.

A big thanks goes out to youth workers Matt, Matt, Ray Ann, and Andrew, Rita Molchan, Stewardship RSI Nicholas Gonzalez, and Stewardship Coordinator Emma Schad for all of their dedication and hard work, which made the Pleasant Hill Park fishing programs possible!


Continue reading about fishing programs at Pleasant Hill Park


Volunteer at Pleasant Hill Park as part of the LOVE Your Park Fall Service Day

 

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Fox Chase After School Program is Set for a Year of Fun and Learning


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The After School program at Fox Chase Recreation Center has been a longtime standout on the center’s roster of programming. The program provides a safe place for students from kindergarten through eighth grade from Fox Chase Elementary and St. Cecilia schools to attend from 3-6pm, Monday through Friday. Kids in the After School program get to experience a variety of activities, including sports, arts and crafts, and homework assistance. “We feel our program develops the physical, cultural, artistic, and life skills of our participants,” said Assistant Recreation Leader Gerry White.


Continue reading about the After School program at Fox Chase Recreation Center

 


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Retiring: Volunteer Coordinator David Bower


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As his retirement date approaches, PPR would like to thank David Bower for eighteen years of dedication and service to Philadelphia’s parks. David began his career in 1998 as a Volunteer Coordinator for the former Fairmount Park Commission, serving as a liaison to established Park Friends Groups. At the time, the primary focus of the Stewardship Division was watershed parks, and David oversaw Wissahickon Valley Park. Following the 2010 merger of the Fairmount Park Commission and Department of Recreation that created Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, David’s responsibility expanded to include watershed and neighborhood parks in Northwest Philly.


Throughout his tenure, David has built up many connections in the Northwest, especially with the Friends groups. We sat down with David for his thoughts on PPR, his colleagues, Philly parks, and more.


Read David’s interview and his colleagues’ reflections on his impact

 

 


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Hissey Playground Groundbreaking


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On Thursday, October 13, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, City Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, and community leaders kicked-off a renovation project for Hissey Playground in the Kensington section of Philadelphia at a ground-breaking ceremony.


The updates to Hissey Playground will include new play and fitness equipment, a new safety surface, and installation of new fencing with gates. The play equipment features two slides, swings, and a rope bridge for older children, and the fitness equipment will be positioned near a smaller play space so that parents and guardians can be active while safely monitoring younger children. Renovations to Hissey are made possible through a collaboration between the Office of Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, the Philadelphia Water Department, and the Department of Public Property.


Continue reading about the Hissey Playground groundbreaking

 


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Senior Strut


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On Friday, October 14, seniors walked a one-mile loop down scenic Boathouse Row along Kelly Drive at the 4th Annual “Senior Strut” health event. Participants had a musical send-off by a Mummers String Band and after the walk returned to their starting point at Lloyd Hall for a health and information fair with free health screenings, fitness activities, and entertainment. The event also featured a special appearance by Harold Carmichael, former Eagles wide receiver and Pro-Football Hall of Famer, and music by DJ-Patty Pat.


View photos from the Senior Strut

 

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