Fairmount Park Conservancy

THE FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY WORKS AS A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER TO LEAD AND SUPPORT EFFORTS WHICH PRESERVE AND IMPROVE THE FAIRMOUNT PARK SYSTEM IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION.

THE FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY LEADS LARGE-SCALE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO PHILADELPHIA PARKLANDS, FROM THE PLANNING STAGE THROUGH CONSTRUCTION. IN 2021, PROJECTS INCLUDED ADVANCING THE FDR PARK PLAN, CONTINUED PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION IN WEST FAIRMOUNT PARK AND ONGOING WORK ACROSS THE NATURAL LANDS WITHIN THE PARK SYSTEM. THE FDR PARK PLAN IS A ONCE-IN-A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO REIMAGINE A HISTORIC OLMSTED PARK TO SERVE 21ST CENTURY PHILADELPHIANS. GUIDED BY THE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PLAN, THE CONSERVANCY BEGAN IMPLEMENTATION IN 2021, FOCUSING ON ADVANCING FOUR PROJECTS THAT WILL COMPRISE THE GATEWAY PHASE : THE WELCOME CENTER, ANNA C. VERNA PLAYGROUND, GATEWAY PLAZA, AND THE PEOPLE'S PLAZA AND HABITAT TERRACE. THE FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY IS ENGAGED IN A MULTI-YEAR EFFORT TO DELIVER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO WEST FAIRMOUNT PARK BASED ON MASTERPLANS FROM 2009 AND 2014. IMPROVEMENTS IN 2021 INCLUDED PROJECTS SUCH AS THE PARKSIDE EDGE GAP, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PEDESTRIANS SAFETY UPGRADES, PLANNING FOR THE WELSH FOUNTAIN RESTORATION, AND SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING. THE NATURAL LANDS PROGRAM REPRESENTS THE FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY'S INVESTMENT IN RESTORING, MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING THE WOODLANDS, STREAMS, MEADOWS, AND LAKES THAT MAKE UP 60% OF THE CITY'S PARKLANDS. THIS WORK IN 2021 INCLUDED CONSTRUCTION OF THE TROLLEY TRAIL, A MOWS-TO-MEADOWS PROJECT, AND THE RESTORATION OF THE WOODS AT THE HORTICULTURAL CENTER. THE TEAM ALSO FACILITATED THE NATURAL LANDS VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM AND CREATED A NATURAL LANDS TRAINING FOR POWERCORPSPHL LEADERSHIP.

FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY LEADS INITIATIVES THAT SEEK TO EMPOWER, EDUCATE AND CONNECT PHILADELPHIA CITIZENS AND PUBLIC SPACE PARTNERS TO CIVIC ASSETS THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND STEWARDSHIP. THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM ENGAGES THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ORGANIZED INTO 130 PARK FRIENDS GROUPS IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CITY'S NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. IN 2021, 92 PARKS AND OVER 1,000 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN BOTH THE FALL AND SPRING LOVE YOUR PARK DAYS. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE CONSERVANCY LAUNCHED A NEW VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO ENGAGE YEAR-ROUND WITH VOLUNTEERS IN THE PARK'S NATURAL AREAS AND ON PRIORITY CONSERVANCY PROJECTS. ITS FOCUS IS ON BUILDING COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP TRAINING, A PUBLIC VOLUNTEER SERIES, CORPORATE VOLUNTEER EVENTS, SPECIAL PROGRAMS, AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT DURING LOVE YOUR PARK. IN ITS FIRST FULL YEAR, THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM HOSTED 32 PUBLIC EVENTS, 610 TOTAL VOLUNTEERS DEVOTING 1,633 VOLUNTEER HOURS, 11,827 POUNDS OF TRASH REMOVED, AND 229 TREES PLANTED. IN 2021, WE WALK PHL, A FREE WALKING GROUP, GREW TO 1,992 MEMBERS AND HAD 3,500 REGISTERED ATTENDEES DURING THE TWO MONTH SEASON. FARMPHILLY, THE CITY'S URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM, HAS EXPANDED WITH SUPPORT FROM FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY. IN 2021, MORE THAN 500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS GREW OVER 10,000 POUNDS OF FOOD AT 20 COMMUNITY GARDENS. FIFTEEN RECREATION CENTER GARDENS PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNIOR FARMERS PROGRAM AND ENGAGED OVER 600 STUDENTS IN YEAR-ROUND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING. TREEPHILLY, A CITY-WIDE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM OF PHILADELPHIA PARKS & RECREATION AND FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY CONTINUED TO RESTORE CRITICAL TREE CANOPY TO 30% COVERAGE IN ALL PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS, IMPROVE THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF THE CITY, AND ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY ISSUES TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS. IN 2021, THE TREEPHILLY TEAM PLANTED OVER 5,000 TREES, DISTRIBUTED 1,704 YARD TREES, AND HOSTED 35 TREE GIVEAWAYS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER 30 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROGRAMS, THE CONSERVANCY HOSTED 141 PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT DREW 6,396 ATTENDEES.

FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY LEADS THE PRESERVATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES IN PHILADELPHIA'S FAIRMOUNT PARK, INCLUDING NUMEROUS PROPERTIES DESIGNATED TO THE CONSERVANCY'S CARE. THE CONSERVANCY'S AWARD-WINNING CONSERVATION TEAM COMPLETED HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS AT 16 HISTORIC SITES IN 2021, WITH MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDING THE RESTORATION OF THE WISSAHICKON GUARD HOUSE, OHIO HOUSE AND HATFIELD HOUSE RENOVATIONS, THE RESTORATION OF BALUSTRADES AT GLEN FORDE, AND THE COMPLETION OF THE ROOF RESTORATION OF THE SHEEP BARN IN THE WISSAHICKON. OUR STAFF ALSO RECEIVED TWO GRAND JURY AWARDS FROM THE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE FOR GREATER PHILADELPHIA FOR WORK AT SMITH PLAYHOUSE AND THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA.