#phillyparks

2018 will be an exciting year at Philadelphia Parks & Recreation! We are bringing you new facilities and programs, and bringing back some of your favorites. 

Dates and details are TBA, so check back for updates. Here's a glimpse into the year ahead!

Aerial Adventure Course

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is excited to provide a new recreation opportunity in West Fairmount Park! Treetop Quest, a new aerial adventure park, will open off of Chamounix Drive this spring. In recent weeks, Treetop Quest has been hard at work, clearing invasive plants and preparing the site for guests to visit in 2018.

This aerial adventure park will connect guests to nature in an adrenaline-packed experience. You’ll navigate Tarzan swings, tackle various obstacles, and zip-line from tree-to-tree through courses of varying difficulty. In addition to the exciting aerial elements, other improvements to the park will serve as an asset to all visitors. This area will have new hiking trails, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, and nearby restrooms.

Read more about the exciting project on our blog!

Rendering courtesy of Friends of the Rail Park

The Rail Park

An innovative green space is coming to Philadelphia! The Rail Park is a partnership between Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Friends of the Rail Park, and Center City District. The park will be welcome bikes and pedestrian traffic as it weaves throughout the city and will eventually connect 10 distinct neighborhoods. In total, the greenway will revitalize three miles of unused rail lines into a usable, beautiful, public space for all. There are three sections to the project: the Viaduct that soars overhead, the Cut that weaves between the streets, and the Tunnel that dives underground. The Viaduct is phase 1 of construction, which began in November and has an expected spring launch date.

Learn more about this project! 

Parkway 100

This year the Benjamin Franklin Parkway turns 100! The Parkway Council Foundation kicked off a year-long celebration of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in September 2017 with the We Are Connected Festival, and events will continue through October 26, 2018. You might recognize some of these public programs like the Winter Fountains and Fireflies Pedicabs, but check out everything that’s going on by visiting the Parkway100 website!

Learn about the history of the Parkway on our blog.

LOVE Park

The much anticipated return of LOVE Park is coming this spring! The renovated Center City park will boast plentiful green space. Lawns and gardens will be complemented by modern water features, and of course, Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE statue. By fall, there will also be a new restaurant in the Welcome Center building.

Renewed Programming at Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center

Last summer, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation joined forces with the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center Board to offer innovative educational programs at the Southwest Philadelphia facility.

2018 will be an exciting year for youth leadership programs, special events, festivals, specialty camps, watershed programs, and much more!

Stay up to date with programs at the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center on Facebook!

Smith Playground

In partnership with Connor Barwin and the Make the World Better Foundation Smith Playground at 24th and Snyder streets in South Philadelphia is getting a makeover! The project includes an overhauled football field with artificial turf, new basketball courts with solar-paneled shade structures, a playground, its first-ever fitness trail, and even a spiffed-up rec center with a kitchen. PPR is excited to be able to double our programming at this site. 

In August 2017, we held a ribbon cutting for the renovated athletic courts and are looking forward to the completion of the project later this spring!

Discovery Center

This fall, the East Park Reservoir will reopen to the public as the Discovery Center. This 50-acre piece of land in Fairmount Park near the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood has been closed to the public for more than 45 years. With a little bit of imagination and the help of our non-profit partners the National Audubon Society and the Philadelphia Outward Bound School, this vast public asset will become home to outdoor education programs for youth and important scientific research about the colonies of migratory birds that have made the reservoir their home.

Learn more at the Discovery Center website.

Return of Signature Events

Parks on Tap

The third annual season of our mobile beer garden, Parks on Tap, will kick off this spring. We’re excited to be back and provide fresh food, beer on tap, wine, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages to communities in their own backyard! Parks on Tap will travel to a different park each week before concluding the season in early fall. Our goal is to bring people together and activate the city’s parks. Last year, between May and October, we did just that! Parks on Tap welcomed 100,000 people to over 20 different locations in Philadelphia’s park system.

Learn more about these family-friendly events at Parks on Tap’s website! 

The Oval

The Oval will make a return for its sixth year this summer! We’re looking forward to bringing back free, interactive programming to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in celebration of its 100th year!

Stay tuned for events like movie nights, fitness classes, and more! 

Camp Philly

Last year, we sent more than 150 kids to overnight camp in the Pocono Mountains, and we’re ready to do it again! Camp Philly is back for the second year. We will host two week-long sessions from August 12 to 17 and August 19 to 24.

Check out our highlight video from 2017! 

Philadelphia International Unity Cup

The Unity Cup is back and better than ever! The World Cup-style soccer tournament will take place earlier in the season this year. We will kick off the games in August and host our championship game in October.

Between February and April, there will be five general team info sessions held across the city for anyone who is interested in learning how to sign up a team.

As the weather gets warmer, many of our public green spaces are transformed into tranquil outdoor yoga studios, with classes open to yogis of all experience levels. Swap out the bare walls of your living room for the river views at the Fairmount Water Works, the floral scents at the peaceful Bartram’s Garden, and the fresh air in your local neighborhood park. With the variety of dates and locations offered, you won’t need to practice indoors all summer.

Note: Most classes listed are BYO-mat. All classes are weather permitting, so check each site’s Facebook page before heading to class.

(photo courtesy of Mifflin Square Park)

Yoga in Hawthorne Park Hawthorne Park (12th St. and Catharine St.) May 29, June 26, July 31, Aug 28 (weather permitting) 8:15-9:15am Cost: Free, donations are greatly appreciated. Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Bring your own mat, sunscreen, water and sunglasses. 

Fishtown Community Yoga at Penn Treaty Park Penn Treaty Park (Columbia Avenue and Beach St.) May-September on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 7:00-8:00pm Cost: Free, donations are greatly appreciated.

Yoga for Kids at Pretzel Park Pretzel Park (Cotton St. and Cresson St.) Every second Saturday each month 11am Cost: Free Kids 5-12 are welcome. Space is limited (first come first posed).

Wellness Wednesdays at The Oval The Oval (2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) Wednesdays, July 15 to August 21 Cost: Free Baby and Me Yoga: 11:00-12:00pm.  Power Yoga with Yoga Habit: 6:00-7:00pm

Yoga at Bartram’s Garden: Gentle Evening Flow with Victoria Bartram’s Garden (51st St. and Lindbergh Ave) Tuesdays  5:30-6:45pm Cost: $10 or pay-what-you-can  Yoga experience: All levels welcome!  Limited mats and blocks are available.

(photo courtesy of Fairmount Park Conservancy)

Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Yoga at the Horticulture Center Fairmount Park Horticulture Center (100 N. Horticultural Dr.) June 12 1:00-2:30pm Cost: $10 for non-members, FREE for members of the Fairmount Park Conservancy Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Emile Sorger of The Yoga and Movement Sanctuary will guide you through a practice that celebrates the body unfolding into spring. Please bring your own yoga mat and water.

Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Weekly Yoga at Lemon Hill  Lemon Hill (Sedgley Drive and N Lemon Hill Drive) Saturdays, June 18 to September 17 9:00-10:00am Cost: Suggested donation of $10 for non-members, FREE for members of the Fairmount Park Conservancy Yoga experience: All levels welcome! These all-levels classes will be led by a rotation local teachers from Yoga and Movement Sanctuary. Please bring your own yoga mat, water and sunscreen! 

Pop Up Yoga Philly Fairmount Water Works (640 Waterworks Dr.) June 17, July 15, Aug 19, Sept 16, October 21 6:15-7:15pm Cost: $17  Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Classes are located in the outdoor pavilion. A large portion of the proceeds of these classes go to the maintenance of the Water Works and their educational classes.

Yoga on the Banks Schuylkill Banks (grassy area at 25th and Locust, near the Schuylkill Banks boardwalk) Saturdays at 11:00am-12:00pm Sundays at 11:00am-12:00pm Tuesdays at 6:00-7:00pm Cost: Free, donations are greatly appreciated. Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Bring a friend, bring your child, even bring your well-behaved dog. Bring your own mat or towel, sunglasses, sunscreen and water bottle. There is a public restroom and water fountain on site.

(photo courtesy of Pop Up Yoga Philly)

Yoga at the Market: Dickinson Square Park Dickinson Square Park (4th St. and Tasker St.) Every Sunday, now through the end of summer 9:00-10:00am Cost: Free, donations are greatly appreciated. Yoga experience: All levels welcome! The Yoga at the Market series will be held at three farmers’ markets throughout Philadelphia. Bring your mat or practice on the grass. Yoga will be held in the grassy area alongside the Dickinson Square Farmers’ Market.

Yoga at the Market: Clark Park Clark Park (4301 Chester Ave.) Every Thursday, now through the end of summer 6:00-7:00pm Cost: Free, donations are greatly appreciated.  Yoga experience: All levels welcome! The Yoga at the Market series will be held at three farmers’ markets throughout Philadelphia. Bring your mat or practice on the grass. Yoga will be held in "park A” near the Clark Park Farmers’ Market. 

Yoga at the Market: Schuylkill River Park Schuylkill River Park (25th St. and Spruce St.) Every Wednesday, now through the end of summer 6:00-7:00pm Cost: Free, donations are greatly appreciated. Yoga experience: All levels welcome! The Yoga at the Market series will be held at three farmers’ markets throughout Philadelphia. Bring your mat or practice on the grass. Yoga will be held at 25th and Spruce St. near the dog park. 

Yoga at Parks on Tap Various Locations (Check parksontap.com for weekly location) Saturdays, now through September 18 12:00pm Cost: pay-what-you-wish Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Parks on Tap, the new traveling beer garden, will be visiting a new park each week. Every Saturday morning, Rittenhouse’s Maha Yoga are hosting yoga classes at the new location. Come for the yoga, stay for the hammocks, yummy food, and refreshing drinks!

Yoga in Kahn Park Louis I. Kahn Park (11th St. and Pine St.) Tuesdays: June 21 & 28, July 12 to Aug 16 6:00-7:00pm 

(photo courtesy of Yoga on the Banks) Roots2Rise Yoga at Venice Island Venice Island Performing Arts and Recreation Center (7 Lock St.) Every Saturday, starting July 9 8:00-9:15am Cost: $5 Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Get your summer yoga fix every Saturday morning along the Schuylkill River with Roots2Rise!

Roots2Rise Yoga at Towey Playground Towey Playground (1832 N Howard St.) Every Wednesday, starting September 14 6:00-6:50pm Cost: $5 Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Grab your yoga mat and some water and come to Towey Playground for free yoga with Roots2Rise!

Yoga by the Pool Francisville Playground (1737 Francis St.) Every Thursday, now through the end of summer 7:00-8:00pm Cost: Free Yoga experience: All levels welcome! Yoga Habit is poolside at Francisville again this summer offering a Savasana + Swim class. Start with a yoga session and then hop in the pool from 8-8:30pm for a nighttime swim. 

While many know Philadelphia as the “City of Brotherly Love,” it was first most commonly known as a “greene country towne,” referring to William Penn’s hope to create an idyllic settlement in the New World. Granted a large tract of land from King Charles II, William Penn arrived in North America in 1682 and set about designing his new settlement with the help of surveyor Thomas Holmes. It was through this collaboration in which the simplistic grid pattern of the city emerged, allowing for ease of travel, prevention of the spread of fire, and separation of houses through the use of green spaces, including five public squares: one for each quadrant of the city and one marking the center.

Thomas Holme's "Portraiture of the City of Philadelphia." Photo Credit: Philadelphia Library Company 

The squares functioned under their original names: Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, and Center until the 1824 return of General Lafayette, the last surviving French General of the American Revolutionary War. Spurred by a wave of patriotism, the names of the squares were changed to Logan, Franklin, Rittenhouse, and Washington to reflect the rich history of the city. Much like the change of their names, the form and function of the squares has changed drastically from their original use, yet they continue to function as a mainstay in the bustling city.

 Northwest Square – Logan Square/Circle

Location: Between 18th Street and 20th Street, and between Race Street and Vine Street

Logan Circle - May 1, 1985; Fairmount Park Archives

Centrally located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Logan Square is flanked by some of the most important institutions and public art in Philadelphia. With a view of the Art Museum to one side and City Hall to the other, it is hard to believe that the square once functioned as a site for public executions and a burial ground until the last public execution occurred in 1823. In 1825, the square was renamed for James Logan, a Philadelphia Statesman who acted as William Penn’s colonial secretary and held numerous political roles, including the Mayor of Philadelphia. The greatest alteration to square by far though was the conversion of the square into a traffic circle as part of the development of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. In an effort to connect Center City with Fairmount Park in the early 20th Century, French architect Jacques Greber redesigned the square to resemble the traffic circles and boulevards often found in Paris, France. The square-turned-circle is one of the most recognizable Philadelphia landmarks, largely due to the iconic Swann Memorial Fountain which sits prominently in the center of the circle. The fountain is easily distinguishable by three large bronze and granite Native American figures that are meant to represent the city’s three main water streams: the Delaware River, the Schuylkill River, and the Wissahickon Creek.

  Swann Memorial Fountain - May 5, 1985; Fairmount Park Archives

Northeast Square - Franklin Square

Location: Between North 6th and 7th Street, and between Race Street and Vine Street Expressway

  Franklin Square - June 6, 2002; Fairmount Park Archives

Franklin Square was originally used as an open common for grazing animals. As the American Revolutionary War roared through the United States though, the square was used as a storage location for the gunpowder of the Continental Army, and later as a military training site for soldiers of the War of 1812. In 1825, the square was renamed after Benjamin Franklin,  a Founding Father of the United States and one of Philadelphia’s favorite sons. Franklin Square was surrounded by a prosperous residential neighborhood in the 19th Century, yet a series of events including the construction of the Ben Franklin Bridge and a surge in industrialism resulted in the decline of the square. Falling into a period of deterioration and neglect, Franklin Square became the least utilized square of the original five. In 2006, after years of disrepair, the square was refurbished and revitalized as a family friendly park. Along with the restoration of the 19th century fountain located at the center of the square, a miniature golf course, carousel, two playgrounds and a food vendor were added as family friendly attractions, drawing new patrons to the once forgotten square.

  Franklin Square Subway, 10/30/36 - Fairmount Park Archives

Southwest Square – Rittenhouse Square

Location: Between 18th St. and Rittenhouse Square West, Between Walnut St. and Rittenhouse Square South

  Rittenhouse Square Flower Market - 1917; Fairmount Park Archives

Rittenhouse Square was hardly the luxury address we know it to be of this day. With the city’s main population developing along the Delaware River waterfront, the southwest-situated square was once surrounded by a sparsely populated neighborhood with little to show. As the population of the city swelled, movement slowly began spreading west toward the Schuylkill River, creating a desirable location in the neighborhood surrounding the square. In 1840, James Harper, a prosperous merchant and brick maker, purchased much of the land on the northern side of the square and built the first residential townhouse at 1811 Walnut Street. Now home to the exclusive Rittenhouse Club, Harper’s house set the precedent for the high-rise residencies, luxury apartments, and popular restaurants of today’s square. Yet the Rittenhouse Square we recognize today only dates back to 1913, when Paul Phillippe Cret, a French-born architect, redesigned the square with its recognizable diagonal walkways meeting at an oval in the center. This idyllic setting continues to act as one of the most vibrant outdoor spaces in the city, balancing festivals and markets with impromptu picnics or a mid-afternoon break on one of the plentiful park benches.

  Rittenhouse Square - August 1988; Fairmount Park Archives

Southeast Square – Washington Square

Location: Between S. 6th St. and W. Washington Square, Between Walnut St. and S. Washington Square 

  Washington Square - Date Unknown; Fairmount Park Archives

Similar in setting to the picturesque Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square is a quiet respite just steps from numerous historic locations. Originally known as Southeast Square, the site was used as a grazing field for animals, but came to be used as a burial ground for much of the city’s African American community in the 18th century. Upon the arrival of the American Revolutionary War, the grounds were used as a burial ground for both American and British soldiers, and later those who died during the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. After the war, the square was sometimes referred to as Congo Square, a favorite meeting spot for Africans to share in traditional food and music from their homelands, as well as reflect on ancestors who may be buried in the square or passed through before being sold into slavery. In 1825, the square was renamed in honor of first President George Washington and as the surrounding neighborhood developed and prospered, the square began to take shape into what we would recognize today. In honor and remembrance of the fallen soldiers and sailors buried on the grounds, Washington Square is the site of the “Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier,” featuring the eternal flame which was once guarded by a Fairmount Park Guard. Another unique find in the square is the Sycamore Moon Tree, which was planted with seeds that had been carried to the moon on the Apollo 14 mission. Despite these intriguing finds, Washington Square more often than not offers locals and visitors a quiet respite from the surrounding city with large shade trees, plenty of green grass, and numerous benches to relax on.

Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier - Nov. 9, 1961; Fairmount Park Archives 

Center Square – City Hall

Located: Intersection of Broad Street & Market Street

"View of the Water Works At Centre Square Philadelphia.” John James Barralet. 1830

Center Square is the only square from Penn’s original plan that no longer functions as a green open space in the city. Positioned in the geographic heart of the city, Penn intended for Center Square to be a great central square surrounded by principal public buildings. Yet due to much of early Philadelphia developing along the Delaware River waterfront, the square was underused and fell into use as a racecourse. As the population of the burgeoning city continued to move West, the square began to be utilized for various public uses, even acting of location for the city’s first waterworks before construction of City Hall began in 1871. Today the square features one of the largest municipal buildings in the United States with nearly 700 rooms and is adorned with a 27-ton bronze statue of Philadelphia founder, William Penn. The site of the only observation deck in Philadelphia, it allows visitors unsurpassed views of the surrounding city, as well as the other squares.

City Hall Under Construction, Viewed from Southwest - 1881; Dept. of Records

Next time you take a stroll through the city, make sure to stop by one of the squares and revel in the history that is our city!