$2 Million Awarded to Riverfront North Partnership
WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATION AWARDS RIVERFRONT NORTH PARTNERSHIP $2 MILLION FOR NEW RIVERFRONT PARK IN BRIDESBURG
A Major Step Forward in Creation of New 10-Acre Park Along the Delaware Riverfront
PHILADELPHIA (February 20th, 2019) – The William Penn Foundation has granted $2 million to Riverfront North Partnership in support of the creation and activation of a new 10-acre Riverfront Park in the Bridesburg section of Philadelphia. This park, conceived through a 2015 community engagement project funded by the William Penn Foundation, will be a beautiful addition to the Philadelphia parks system, as well as the newest addition to Riverfront North, a planned 11-mile section of trails and parks along the Delaware River in Northeast Philadelphia.
“Riverfront North Partnership’s vision is to reconnect our communities to a river that has been inaccessible to them for generations,” said Stephanie Phillips, Executive Director of Riverfront North Partnership. “Receiving this generous funding from William Penn Foundation, and our partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the City of Philadelphia, enables us to work with our community to create a river park that is an integral part of life for our neighbors, as well as a city-wide destination.”
The 10-acre park, currently in final design with Langan Engineering, will be constructed in two phases with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the City of Philadelphia. The first phase is estimated to be complete in 2021 at the cost of approximately $4.7 million and will build a park with riverfront views, unstructured play areas, parking, and a restroom. Riverfront North along with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the City of Philadelphia are actively seeking the remaining funding needed for this phase.
Community participation remains vital to the creation of this park and will continue through the park’s construction. Riverfront North will be enlisting the help of local leaders to guide the activities and programs at the new park. This work will start in 2019 through the creation of an advisory panel that will embark on a discovery process of other urban river parks, provide resources for small pilot projects, and ultimately develop an activity plan for the park’s first season.
“I am so excited that the William Penn Foundation has decided to fund this transformative parks project” said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner, Kathryn Ott Lovell. “We look forward to continuing to make Philadelphia one of the greatest park systems in the entire United States.”
The second phase of construction is slated for 2025 and estimated at an additional $4 to $5 million. It will contain a multi-use event space, a stage, and boardwalk. The completed park will also concentrate on ecological restoration and showcase trails and an upland meadow with views of both the Betsy Ross and Tacony-Palmyra bridges. The new trailhead park will connect directly with existing and planned trails on the Greenway, as well as the regional Circuit Trails and national East Coast Greenway networks.
The construction of the park will be completed in phases to allow for community access as soon as possible and will be managed by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the City of Philadelphia in partnership with Riverfront North Partnership.
About William Penn Foundation
The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through efforts that increase educational opportunities for children from low-income families, ensure a sustainable environment, foster creativity that enhances civic life, and advance philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. Since inception, the Foundation has made nearly 10,000 grants totaling over $1.6 billion.
About Riverfront North Partnership
Riverfront North Partnership, a charitable nonprofit organization, is dedicated to building an 11-mile linear network of trails and parks along the Delaware River from Allegheny Avenue in Port Richmond to the Poquessing Creek in Torresdale. RNP is committed to activating these green spaces with a variety of community events and rejuvenating them with volunteer and stewardship activities. Riverfront North is part of the Circuit Trails, comprised of 300 miles of completed trails with the goal of a 750-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails in the Greater Philadelphia Region and the East Coast Greenway. For more information on Riverfront North Partnership’s past and current projects, please visit riverfrontnorth.org, call 215-425-8350 or follow us on social media @riverfrontnorth.
About Philadelphia Parks & Recreation:
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation advances the prosperity of the city and the progress of her people through
intentional and sustained stewardship of public land and waterways as well as through safe, stimulating
recreation, environmental and cultural centers. PPR helps Philadelphia’s children and other residents grow by
connecting them to the natural world, to each other, and to fun, physical and social opportunities. For more
information, find Philadelphia Parks & Recreation online at www.phila.gov/parksandrecreation and follow
@philaparkandrec on social media.