Beginning this Friday, May 7, the City will be making immediate improvements to the triangle at Broad, Butler, and Germantown, commonly known as Fish Park. This is part of the Broad, Germantown and Erie Project. 

People can expect to see a landscaping crew at the site doing these immediate improvements. This short-term landscaping work is possible thanks to an existing City contract and funds.  

Please note these are not the permanent public space improvements. For that, there will be an official contract bidding process, as part of the intersection renovation.  

What are the short-term improvements? 

These short-term improvements include:  

  • Removal of overgrown plants and leveling out the ground
  • New grass and paths
  • New trees and planters
  • Tables and chairs for outdoor dining
  • String lights
  • Repainting the fence
  • Large, colorful blocks with kids’ activities
  • Decorative coverings on the chain link fence that surrounds the shed
  • A new trash can 

When will the short-term improvements be done? 

The short-term improvements will be complete by Mid-July. Look out for an announcement about a community build day!  

We scheduled the completion at a time we hope most, if not, all Philadelphians will be fully vaccinated and we can all gather outdoors safely from COVID-19. By now, more than half a million Philadelphians have been vaccinated with at least one dose. Find out how to schedule an appointment for you or a loved one to be vaccinated.

Why are you doing these improvements if new public spaces are coming in 2022-2023? 

For the past year, we talked to neighbors about creating a new public space at Broad & Erie. What we heard was concern that there is already a public space at Broad, Germantown, and Butler. And that space needs sprucing up.  

Construction for large-scale public space and traffic safety improvements will start  in 2022 (tentatively). We didn’t want to wait that long to provide results. 

How did you choose the design of the temporary improvements? 

Last fall, the public shared the upgrades they want at Broad, Germantown, and Erie. We included the feedback we heard into the short-term improvements.  

That feedback includes: 

  • Lawn  
  • Fixed tables and chairs 
  • String lights 
  • Bright colors 
  • Protection from car traffic 
  • Flowering plants
  • Literature theme
  • Honor local history
  • Activities for kids
  • Trash cans
  • Maintenance plan 

This pop-up itself will allow us to test what people like and dislike about the space. We can incorporate what we learn into the permanent improvements. 

How are you paying for these improvements? 

A Play Everywhere grant from the William Penn Foundation and KaBoom! funded the materials and plants for these short-term improvements. City funds are paying for the site preparation and maintenance. 

How can we help spread the word? 

If you’d like a City staff person to come and speak to your group about this project, please get in touch at bge@phila.gov or call (215) 436-9886.    

Stay in touch and up to date on the project at phila.gov/bge.  

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