The holidays are upon us once again, and there has been plenty to talk about in Philadelphia’s parks and recreation centers. Here are some key highlights from the past month of media coverage.

 

November 12: Gustine Recreation Center’s E’chappe Dance Arts received celebrity attention from the likes of Jennifer Garner, Kristen Bell, and Ava Duvernay for their Daddy and Me dance class.

The Friends of Malcolm X Park received coverage from Nathaniel Lee at The Philadelphia Tribune for their Love Your Park Fall Service Day cleanup.

November 13: University City Review’s Jim Brown reported on the Philadelphia Eagles’ Malcolm Jenkins’s unveiling of “The Promise,” a mural in Mantua at the 33rd & Wallace Street Playground.

December 2: The Present has returned to LOVE Park! Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s director of business and event development Marc Wilken spoke to KYW’s Justin Udo and CBS Philly’s Pat Gallen about The Present’s new features and the unique giving opportunities it provides.

“A Very Philly Christmas” returned to Fairmount Park’s historic houses and Philly Voice’s Sinead Cummings and CBS Philly’s Pat Gallen covered the events.

December 3: National Geographic named Philadelphia one of its top 25 travel destinations for 2020. Johnna Rizzo described LOVE Park beautifully saying, “It’s a living city square, throbbing with activity, enticing visitors and locals alike to pause and become a part of the vibrant tableau.” National Geographic’s Instagram post of Wedding Wednesday in LOVE Park garnered nearly 88,000 likes!

December 4: WHYY’s Catalina Jaramillo shared the story of the more than 250 residents who came out to the first public meeting for Philadelphia’s first-ever urban agriculture plan. 

December 5: Parks & Rec’s own “Tree Queen” Lori Hayes shared the story of her quest for the perfect holiday tree with the 6ABC team.

December 9: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell and community forest manager Erica Smith Fichman spoke with Radio Times’ Marty Moss-Coane about changes to Philadelphia’s tree canopy and Philadelphia’s “Future of the Urban Forest” plan. The plan was also covered by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Frank Kummer in a detailed report on Philadelphia’s Tree Canopy Assessment. 

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