JANUARY, 2017

Rebuild Initiative Receives $100 Million Commitment from William Penn Foundation, Launches New Website

In November, the William Penn Foundation announced its intent to commit up to $100 million to the Rebuild initiative, Mayor Kenney’s plan to revitalize City parks, libraries, recreation centers, and playgrounds to enhance community life in neighborhoods across Philadelphia. Implementation of Rebuild will unfold over the next several years, making tangible improvements to neighborhoods.

Community involvement is integral to Rebuild’s success, and the Rebuild team recently launched a website which serves as an extension of that goal. The site will be used as a resource in recruiting residents to participate in an apprentice ready program to prepare them for contracting jobs and will feature information about contracting opportunities for diverse companies, community meetings, and construction progress.

Visit the newly launched Rebuild website

PPR Guide to Winter Fun

When it comes to all the ways to have fun this winter, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) has you covered! From hikes to the best sledding hills to date ideas, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite winter activities!

View PPR’s Guide to Winter Fun

Top Sledding Spots

Plan ahead for the snow season in Philadelphia! Get bundled up, gather your friends, grab your sled, and spend an afternoon in our parks and playgrounds, where you’ll find some of the best sledding hills in the city. Check out our top ten sledding spots, including Belmont Plateau, Clark Park, and Water Tower Recreation Center!

Continue reading about top sledding spots

Become a PPR Lifeguard

Are you interested in working as a lifeguard at a PPR pool next summer? It’s never too early to start preparing, and PPR has already begun its lifeguard recruitment process for next summer. Lifeguards must be 16 years or older, must pass a free lifeguard screening test, and must complete 21.5 hours of lifeguard training, first aid, and CPR. Starting salary is $12.33 an hour. There are four local training sites, which are open year-round, where the screening can be completed.

Learn more about becoming a PPR lifeguard

2017 Mummers Parade Preview

On New Year’s Day, head to Center City to enjoy the exciting sights and sounds of the Philadelphia Mummers Parade! The Mummers Parade is an honored New Year’s Day tradition that would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of PPR staff. The parade has evolved since last year, and the changes that will be seen in 2017 were made to address cultural sensitivity issues that came to the forefront during last year’s parade. The goal of these changes is to make the parade more enjoyable and comfortable for all who choose to watch and participate.

Continue reading about the Philadelphia Mummers Parade

Martin Luther King Day of Service Volunteer Projects at PPR Sites

Each year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16), tens of thousands of volunteers across the region gather to participate in the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, the largest King Day event in the nation. PPR has been an active participant in the event since 1996 when the King Day of Service initiative began. As part of the 2017 MLK Day of Service, PPR recreation centers and playgrounds will host volunteer projects that address the needs of their neighborhoods, including indoor and outdoor cleanups, painting projects, and community events.

Learn more about MLK Service Day and how to volunteer at a PPR site

Infographic: 2016 in Review

It’s been a phenomenal year for PPR! From the launch of the Rebuild initiative to the kickoff of the inaugural Philadelphia International Unity Cup, we are increasing our reach to benefit more and more residents. Take a look at some of the highlights that made 2016 so great in our year-end infographic.

View PPR’s year end infographic

Dog Regulations and Best Practices

Must dogs stay leashed on PPR property? Where are Philadelphia’s dog runs located? PPR welcomes our four-legged friends and their owners to our properties, and we recently released a new citizens' guide to answer these frequently asked questions, providing current information on City of Philadelphia and PPR regulations and best practices regarding dog activity on PPR property.

Continue reading about PPR’s dog regulations and best practices

Ribbon Cutting: Conestoga Playground

On December 8, the newly renovated Conestoga Community Playground in West Philadelphia was reopened with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The event served as the culmination of a years-long collaboration between PPR, Mural Arts Philadelphia, The Trust for Public Land, and various community partners—including Mastery Charter School and the Conestoga Angels—to transform the recreation center’s park and playground, built in the 1970s and overlooked in recent decades.

Mural Arts and The Trust for Public Land worked hand-in-hand to collaborate on site design and art, and to engage local youth and community members in the revitalization project while educating them about environmental sustainability. The end result reflects the collaborative approach to transformation and reuse, including benches carved from salvaged locust trees, created by lead artist Beverly Fisher, and Wildish, a mural by artist Kim Beck, which incorporates elements of youth drawings of local weeds and trees found in the neighborhood, two new playgrounds, a sprayground, gathering spaces, a community garden, and stormwater management features.

Read more about Conestoga Playground

Update: Schuylkill River Wall Reconstruction Detours

The reconstruction of a failing wall along the Schuylkill River has prompted closures to portions of Martin Luther King Drive and the Schuylkill River Trail along MLK Drive. The construction and resulting detours will take place from December 6 through January 20. A portion of the Schuylkill River Trail will be closed for the duration of the construction period and has been rerouted. That detour runs from Franklin Paine’s Skate Park though Eakins Oval, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 22nd Street and Race Street. During the hours of 9am-3pm and 7pm-5am, the eastbound (inbound) lane of MLK Drive will be closed from Sweet Briar to Eakins Oval.

This project is necessary because a section of the existing Schuylkill River wall failed and fell into the river on August 23, 2016. Due to this failure, a portion of the retained soil supported by the wall has collapsed into the river, along with the section of asphalt walkway it was supporting.  This condition leaves the area unstable, and the river’s tide and large storms will continue to cause further erosion and damage. Without immediate action, the remaining sections of the wall and soil have a high potential to see additional failure presenting a life safety hazard to the public. The Streets Department and PPR thank residents and commuters for their patience and cooperation during the project.

Read more about the detours and view a detour map

Urban Farmer Job Opportunity

Urban Farmer with Youth Environmental Education Experience (Seasonal Position)

PPR’s Carousel House and FarmPhilly Program are seeking a seasonal employee to manage a small urban farm at the Carousel House in West Fairmount Park, as well as to deliver youth farming education at multiple recreation centers in West Philadelphia. This position will be responsible for coordinating with several program partners as well as managing the day-to-day operations at the farm.

Learn more about the Urban Farmer position and how to apply

Vogue Players of Holmesburg Playground Holding Auditions

The Vogue Players of Holmesburg Playground are holding auditions for teens and adults for the musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The auditions, for ages 15 and up, will be held at Holmesburg Playground  (4500 Rhawn Street) on Thursday, January 5 from 6:30-8:30pm and Saturday, January 7 from 3-5pm.

Please have a song prepared and be ready to dance. The show will be held in April of 2017. For more information, contact Alice Dignam at 215.685.8714.

PPR Launches Northwest Philly Recycling Initiative

In November, PPR launched a new program offering outdoor recycling to 22 recreation centers and playgrounds in Northwest Philadelphia. The new recycling bins were provided through a grant made possible by Dr Pepper Snapple Group in collaboration with Keep America Beautiful. The grant provided a total of 30 new metal recycling bins, and the Philadelphia Office of Sustainability has provided funds for another 100 plastic recycling bins that will also be placed at Northwest Philly sites. Each year, PPR manages and removes tens of thousands of tons of waste from recreation center facilities. A majority of this waste is recyclable, so by offering recycling to our recreation facilities, we can make a major impact on recycling in Philadelphia.

PPR staff will monitor the program for one year and continue to refine it over time. After developing a blueprint for best practices on running a district-wide recreation facility outdoor recycling program, PPR hopes to replicate the program in the six remaining recreation facility city districts over the next few years, with hopes to use that larger expansion to then leverage resources to bring recycling to all neighborhood parks and natural areas by 2024.

Mayor Kenney Honors Boxer Bernard Hopkins and Discusses Importance of Rebuild at Athletic Recreation Center

On December 5, Mayor Kenney presented Bernard Hopkins, a Philadelphia native and Future Hall of Famer and two-division World Champion boxer, with an honorary ceremonial Liberty Bell to commemorate the boxer’s final career fight on December 17. Oscar De La Hoya joined Hopkins at the ceremony, which took place at North Philadelphia’s Athletic Recreation Center, where Hopkins fought as a teenager. Highlighting the positive impact that athletics can have on Philadelphia citizens’ lives, Mayor Kenney discussed the importance of the Rebuild initiative in supporting essential programming and facilities like boxing gyms for Philadelphia’s youth. 

Continue reading about the event at Athletic Recreation Center

Read more about boxing programs at PPR facilities

PPR’s Role in Helping Progress toward Greenworks Philadelphia Sustainability Goals

In early November, Mayor Jim Kenney and the Philadelphia Office of Sustainability released the City’s new comprehensive sustainability plan, Greenworks: A Vision for a Sustainable Philadelphia. Building on progress over the past decade, the plan sets eight long-term visions to create a more sustainable, equitable, and vibrant city. PPR has many programs and initiatives that contribute to these efforts.

Read how PPR’s work helps support the City’s sustainability visions

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy Horse Wins Therapeutic Horse of the Year Award

Situated along Bustleton Avenue on the western edge of Pennypack Creek Park in Northeast Philadelphia is the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy, a non-profit riding academy dedicated to providing therapeutic horseback riding programs and equine-assisted activities and therapies for children and adults with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities. Pegasus operates on PPR property and has a long-term lease to utilize the public trust lands and benefit people with disabilities. One of the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy’s horses, Clyde, was recently honored with the Pennsylvania Therapeutic Horse of the Year Award.

Learn more about the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy and Clyde’s award

Internet Coming to 80 New PPR Facilities

On December 12, the City of Philadelphia announced a 15-year agreement with Comcast Business for an Institutional Network, commonly called an iNet, and commercial broadband services that will significantly boost the City’s networking speeds and capacity, while reducing costs. Comcast is providing courtesy internet accounts for all the City’s 80 recreation centers presently operating without internet services. The City will be able to install Wi-Fi in all City facilities as well as LOVE Park, giving citizens Wi-Fi service inside all of its facilities.

Continue reading about the City’s agreement with Comcast Business

Storms and Downed Trees

Philadelphia has a flourishing urban forest that provides many benefits to citizens, including shade, oxygen, cleaner air and water, and beauty. Trees are living things, however, and they can't always be controlled, especially during extreme weather events like rain, snow and ice storms, and high winds.

If a tree falls during a storm and is blocking a road, or it has fallen on a house, car or other property, call 911. A crew of arborists from PPR is on-call to respond to tree emergencies, and they will come out to remove the hazard and any part of the tree that is an immediate risk to public safety. For non-emergency tree requests, please submit a request through Philly 311. In the event that a tree has fallen on electrical wires, please call PECO's emergency line: 1-800-841-4141.

Learn more about storms and downed trees

Ribbon Cutting: American Legion Playground

On December 13, PPR Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell and Councilman Bobby Henon were joined by community members and students from Tacony Academy Charter School for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate renovations to American Legion Playground in Northeast Philadelphia. The outdated play structures at American Legion were replaced with new, state of the art equipment and safety surfacing. An adult fitness area was created and the main play area was divided into two zones, one for tots and another for juniors. The playground at American Legion was also designed to be inclusive, with an ADA accessible swing and inviting colors.

Read more about American Legion Playground

The Owls of Philadelphia

As a birder and Temple University alumnus, PPR Environmental Educator Tony Croasdale is partial to owls. Luckily for him, he can encounter them right from his office at the Wissahickon Environmental Center. Tony shares his insights on the different owl species that occur in Philadelphia and where you might be able to find them. Following this information and with enough time and patience, you might be able to find all of these owl species too!

Continue reading about the owls of Philadelphia

A Look at TreePhilly’s Progress

In September, PPR’s TreePhilly program released a progress report detailing the initiative’s achievements since its 2012 launch. TreePhilly connects residents with the resources they need to care for the urban forest by helping Philadelphians plant and maintain trees on both public and private properties. TreePhilly aims to increase the urban tree canopy in the city by working with Philadelphians to plant and care for trees, as well as to encourage interaction with the urban forest. 

Some of the key findings from the report are that from 2012-2015, TreePhilly:

Read more about TreePhilly’s progress

Operations Staff Profile: Cecile Kase

Meet Cecile Kase, a Facility Caretaker 2 at Vare Recreation Center in South Philadelphia. Ms. Kase has worked with PPR for a total of 17 years and at Vare for six years. She began her career at PPR as a Recreation Specialty Instructor for After School and various recreation programming. She eventually transitioned into a full-time staff member in her current role as a facility caretaker. We sat down with Ms. Kase to learn more about her role at Vare Recreation Center.

Continue reading about Cecile and her work at Vare

History of Water Tower Recreation Center

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 third structure to be highlighted in this series is Water Tower Recreation Center, which was built on a former reservoir site in North Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood, which was then redeveloped as a public playground in 1910. The modern facility now sits on a two-acre property with six tennis courts, a batting cage, a hockey rink, one general playing field, two ball fields, and three basketball courts.

Continue reading about the history of Water Tower Recreation Center

Park Friends Network Holiday Party

On December 8, PPR and the Fairmount Park Conservancy (FPC) celebrated the exceptional, year-round work that our Park Friends Groups do to enhance Philadelphia’s green spaces. About 100 Park Friends Groups attended the event, which took place at Galdo’s Catering in South Philadelphia. Guests enjoyed dinner and dessert, drinks, raffle prizes, and live entertainment courtesy of DJ Patty-Pat and the Stewardship team.

PPR Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell and FPC Executive Director Rick Madger handed out this year’s Park Best Friend Awards, which were created by our friends groups to highlight individuals who have gone above and beyond as ambassadors of their parks.

Continue reading about the Park Friends Network Holiday Party

View a photo album from the Park Friends Network Holiday Party

PPR Staff Participates in Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Course

In early December, a group of PPR staff, mostly recreation leaders at the forefront of their centers, participated in an eight-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid training. This course is led by the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbility Services as an effort to educate adult community members about the signs and symptoms of a young person experiencing a behavioral or mental health problem and give them the tools to assist the youth in obtaining appropriate help.

During the training, participants learned the most prevalent conditions affecting young people, the reasons for the onset of these conditions, and the signs that identify them. Since PPR recreation leaders are surrounded by young people for the majority of their jobs, it is imperative that they learn the skills from this training in order to play more supportive roles in these kids’ lives.

Continue reading about the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Course

PPR’s Guide to Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing

Winter is finally here, which means that we may end up seeing more snow fall in Philadelphia soon. If you love snow so much that you look forward to a snowfall that closes schools, you might also enjoy visiting one of the City’s larger parks or even a smaller site in your neighborhood to try cross country skiing or snowshoeing this winter.

Read PPR’s Guide to Cross Country Skiing and Showshoeing in Philadelphia

October-December 2016 Athletic and Charity Events

Over the past few months, thousands of Philadelphians participated in runs and other athletic events on PPR land, some of which benefitted charity groups, including the Lupus Loop, Heart Walk at Citizens Bank Park, Purplestride 5K Run/Walk, Step Out for Diabetes Walk, Rocky Balboa Runs, Two Rivers Sprit and Adventure Races, and more. Thanks to all those who organized and participated in these events for making them a great success!

Read about and view photos from these events

A Look Inside PPR Operations: Preparing for Snow

Winter has finally arrived, which means that snow season is upon us! The National Weather Service predicts that Philadelphia may see 28.8 inches of snow this winter season, higher than the average of 22.4 inches. When it snows in Philadelphia, the Streets Department coordinates snow removal from the city’s primary, secondary, and neighborhood roadways. PPR is responsible for clearing snow from 35 miles of park roadways, as well as from sidewalks, trails, and parking areas at the City’s 63 parks and 150 recreation facilities. PPR has its own set of preparations and protocols for responding to snow and ice events, and the PPR Operations team has already begun preparing for the 2016-2017 winter snow season.

Continue reading about how PPR is preparing for snow

20th Annual Senior Holiday Gala

On December 20, close to 900 older adults descended on the Philadelphia Marriott Ballroom for the 2016 Senior Holiday Gala. The gala was a product of a partnership between PPR and Helping Hand Home Health & Hospice. 

Members of PPR’s older adult centers, as well as centers under the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA), danced to the performance of the band Vinyl Groov, ate lunch served by the Marriott, and visited with various vendors offering services for older adults. PPR Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, PCA Director Holly Lange, and Helping Hand CEO Artem Ustayev welcomed and addressed the crowd. 

Continue reading about the Senior Holiday Gala

District 2 Feast of Justice Food Collection

PPR District 2 facilities—composed of sites in the Northeast, Frankford, and River Wards sections of Philadelphia—took part in the season of giving through their annual Feast of Justice Food Collection. Playgrounds and recreation centers throughout District 2 collected food and donations to feed disadvantaged Philadelphians.  All of the donations collected went to St. John’s Lutheran Church in the Mayfair area. This is the fifth year District 2 facilities have partnered with St. John’s by providing them with food to serve to the needy in the district.

All 22 facilities in District 2 collected canned goods and dry goods, donated money, or provided gift cards toward a goal of more than 1,200 pounds of food and $800. Thanks to all those who donated for their generosity and to Broad Street Run Race Director Jim Marino for providing collection boxes to each District 2 Facility!

REACH Holiday Show

On December 14, kids participating in PPR’s REACH performing arts program hit the Venice Island Performing Arts Center stage to showcase their talents. For two months, students at Pelbano Recreation Center, Fox Chase Recreation Center, Hawthorne Cultural Center, Athletic Recreation Center, Capitolo Playground, Francisville Playground, Tustin Playground, and Northern Liberties Recreation Center received teachings from Recreation Specialty Instructors in the performing arts as part of their After School programming. Some of the topics covered included playwriting, public speaking, dancing, acting, drumming, and choral instruction. Students were able to implement the lessons they’ve learned over the eight weeks and present them during each center’s performance at the REACH Holiday Show.

Continue reading about the REACH Holiday Show

Nutcracker Doll Contest

In November, kids and staff from recreation centers throughout the city learned the story of The Nutcracker and created nutcracker dolls for the Visual Arts monthly art contest. Participants used recycled materials, paper mâché, construction paper, fabric, and more to create these unique dolls. Congrats to the winners, who received tickets to the Pennsylvania Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker!

Learn more about the Visual Arts program

Connecting Young Children to Nature through the Grow Up Green Program

Grow Up Green is a PPR program for children ages three-and-a-half to five which encourages outdoor play and a greater connection to the natural world while addressing key educational and developmental needs.

This fall, Grow Up Green visited Columbus Square Playground in South Philly to present weekly nature-based programs to the playground’s Tot Recreation program, covering themes such as hiking, camping, fishing, birding, and campfires. PPR PowerCorpsPHL Outdoor Experiences Fellow Majae Baker helped to present this fall’s Grow Up Green program, and she shared with us her experiences and insights about connecting young children with their outdoor environments.

Read Majae’s account about Grow Up Green