Nestled in a grove in East Fairmount Park is the Hill of Hope memorial. It was dedicated on April 25, 1987 to the Philadelphians who lost their lives due to complications related to HIV and AIDS. At 32 years old, the Hill of Hope is one of the oldest memorials of its kind in the country.

Recently, the memorial was restored at the urging of community members. Over the years, the memorial had fallen into disrepair.

A bush obscured the Hill of Hope memorial before its restoration
Before its restoration, overgrown shrubs hid the Hill of Hope memorial from view
The Hill of Hope memorial before its restoration
The Hill of Hope memorial before its restoration. The original plaque had gone missing.

However, once community members contacted Parks & Rec, the department:

  • removed the overgrowth
  • installed a new plaque
  • replanted the entire area.

Since then, Parks & Rec has also added the Hill of Hope to its regular maintenance cycle, ensuring that this memorial will remain an important place for us to mourn those we lost and renew our hope for the future.

This project is also a reminder of how the City works with residents, listening to their concerns and moving swiftly to address them.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, community members, and the Office of LGBT Affairs are excited about the restoration of this memorial and encourage all Philadelphians to visit and reflect.

The Hill of Hope is located off Kelly Drive, next to Frederic Remington’s famous Cowboy statue.

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