PHILADELPHIA (July 13, 2022) – Today, Mayor Kenney joined the Philadelphia Union Foundation, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, Councilmember Mark Squilla (1st district), City officials, and community members to cut the ribbon on the Rebuild project at Capitolo Playground Fields.
The City of Philadelphia’s Rebuild initiative is a historic investment in public spaces, and this second phase of the Capitolo Playground project came from a transformational partnership between the City, the Philadelphia Union Foundation, and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer to expand the impact of Rebuild investments. Together, the Union Foundation and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer committed more than one million dollars to build 15 mini-pitches for soccer and two full-size signature fields in locations across Philadelphia, further nurturing Philadelphia’s great appreciation for soccer. Capitolo Playground will receive one of those mini-pitches.
“There’s no greater example of Philadelphia’s love of soccer than right here at Capitolo Playground,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Week after week thousands of athletes from all backgrounds come to compete and have fun. These improvements will celebrate and support this tradition, and serve the incredible South Philadelphia community for years to come.”
“I am so excited that the Capitolo field is now open for our youth and community members to use and enjoy,” said Councilmember Mark Squilla (1st District). “I thank all the stakeholders – Passyunk Square Civic Association members, the Capitolo Advisory Council and Friends Group. Together, we worked on a project that improved Capitolo as our neighborhood gem. We will continue to collaborate on maintaining the facility for future generations.”
Totaling over $1 million in investment, Phase 2 of the Capitolo Playground Fields Project includes:
- A brand new, state-of-the-art mini-pitch for soccer
- Regraded and uplifted athletic fields including two new youth soccer fields
- Additional shade trees and outdoor gathering areas with ADA-accessible seating along Passyunk Avenue
- Improvements to fencing along the community garden
- Creation of an ADA-accessible entrance at 10th & Wharton Streets
- New bleacher and team benches for spectators and players
- New yard hydrants for irrigation
“Rebuild’s promise to communities acknowledges the unique history at each of our sites. Here at Capitolo, the vibrant culture of sports, especially soccer, is electrifying,” said Kira Strong, Executive Director of Rebuild. “Many thanks to the neighbors, teams, and youth who helped guide this project to where we are today.”
“It’s our mission to grow the game of soccer, and it’s our privilege to work with the City and the Philadelphia Union to build these mini-pitches,” said Chris Branscome, CEO of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. “The children of this community, and those of our future sites, deserve to have well-maintained and safe fields to play on. This field will provide for great fun, fitness, and friendships.”
“The Philadelphia Union Foundation’s mission is, above all else, to grow the beautiful game by providing safe, accessible areas to play soccer throughout our city,” said Paul Howard, Executive Director, Philadelphia Union Foundation. “Our vision has become a reality with the opening of Capitolo Playground’s mini-pitch alongside our dedicated city, corporate, and community partners.”
“Capitolo’s rich history of youth sports programming is no secret to Philadelphians,” said Kathryn Ott Lovell, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation. “Investments like this one at Capitolo are critical to ensure our kids have safe and ready-to-use community assets for generations to come.”
This summer alone, Rebuild will break ground or cut the ribbon on over $30 million worth of projects throughout Philadelphia.
Rebuild is a historic investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in neighborhood parks, recreation centers and libraries across Philadelphia. Proposed in Mayor Jim Kenney’s first budget as a part of his vision for a more equitable Philadelphia, Rebuild’s promise to acknowledge history, engage the community and invest intentionally seeks to uplift pivotal community spaces, empower neighborhoods, and promote economic opportunity through diversity and inclusion.
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) advances the prosperity of the city and the progress of its people through stewardship of nearly 10,200 acres of public land and waterways, and management of 500 recreation buildings, 166 miles of trail, and 250 playgrounds. PPR offers safe, enjoyable recreation, environmental and cultural programs and events throughout Philadelphia’s parks and recreation system. PPR promotes the well-being and growth of the city’s residents by connecting them to the natural world, to each other and to fun, physical and social opportunities. In 2017, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, set about implementing the park system’s first strategic plan: Our Path to 2020 and Beyond. As a result, PPR is undertaking a period of historic change, setting the department on a course to become a modern, equitable and exceptional parks and recreation system. Visit us at www.phila.gov/parksandrec, and follow @philaparkandrec on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
The Philadelphia Union Foundation’s mission is to build safe spaces for all to play soccer and provide under-served communities with access to soccer and related youth programming. PUF expects to contribute to the growth of the beautiful game in Chester, PA, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. In 2019, the Foundation brought soccer back to the young women and men of Chester High School for the first time in thirty years by fully funding a varsity and junior varsity soccer program. In addition, PUF and the City of Philadelphia have partnered to build fifteen mini-pitches and two full-sized signature fields in the inner-city. Both projects mark a realization of the Foundation’s commitment to leveraging the power of soccer to create opportunities and to transform lives. For more information about the Philadelphia Union Foundation, visit www.philadelphiaunion.com/foundation. For donations, visit www.phlunionfoundation.org.
Since 1972, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has worked throughout Eastern Pennsylvania to promote, foster, and perpetuate the game of soccer to the region’s youth. Through competitions, educational programs, outreach efforts and coaching clinics, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer impacts the lives of more than 120,000 youth soccer players from ages 5 to 19. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is one of 55 state associations in US Youth Soccer and a member of the United States Soccer Federation. Additional information about Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer can be found at www.EPYSA.org.