Category parks

Philadelphia named one of “The World’s 10 Best Cities for Parks”

 
Not the US, the World. That’s a pretty bold statement from Frommer’s, and a great one nonetheless.

If you’re from the Philadelphia area, it’s easy to take our park system for granted. Pennsylvania is a heavily wooded area with lots of rivers and streams, and we basically have green, scenic parks everywhere. I find it pretty amazing that hundreds of years ago William Penn had the foresight to protect areas of Philadelphia from development (and they’re still protected to this day).

If you’re not from the Philadelphia area (or the East Coast), Philadelphia looks like an urban jungle. Lots of mature trees, pocket parks, and the massive Fairmount Park system cutting through the city. At 9,200 total acres, it comprises 10% of the city’s land mass and houses golf courses, biking/hiking trails, and over 200 historic structures. If you go to sections of the park like the Wissahickon Valley, it almost feels like you’re not in a city at all. It provides great relief from the daily hustle and bustle in Philadelphia.

I’m not surprised that Philadelphia has received such a prestigious honor, and I’m glad that more people are starting to notice our natural assets.

Manayunk’s “Park in the Sky”

From what started out as just another great bike path to connect Philadelphia with Bala Cynwyd, it has now turned into a full-blown, well planned project.

Meetings are being held, community input is being given, and designs are being drawn up. In other words, the Manayunk Bridge Connector (which will connect the Schuylkill River Trail with the Cynwyd Heritage Trail) may end up becoming a walking/running path, bike lane, and aerial park all wrapped in one.

Let’s also not forget about the awesome views one will get from being on top of this large structure. Read on for some great details.

Philadelphia’s parks are in “high gear”

 
As quoted by the Huffington Post, “For more than three centuries, city planning, landscape architecture and a unique civic ambition that emphasizes horticulture as much as the pedestrian experience in its public spaces and streetscapes, have made Philadelphia a fascinating city.”

 
Sometimes when someone looks at cities for comparison, they don’t always consider parks and open space as an important factor. Philadelphia is one such city that ranks high in this category. This uninformed perspective may also start to change over the next 10 years or so, as cities all over the country look for smarter and more sustainable ways to manage their ecosystems (i.e. storm water runoff, flooding, air pollution, etc.).

 
Philadelphia has one of the largest urban parks in the US (Fairmount Park), as well as many neighborhood pocket parks that provide green space for over 1.5 million residents. If you would like to read the entire story, please check it out here.