Maura McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, and Tara Rasheed, Senior Director of Capital Projects, discussed the latest at the Fairmount Park Conservancy with the grand re-lighting of the icon Boathouse Row, and a new Welcome Center opening at FDR Park.  The Conservancy works with the city to administer the city’s more than 2,000 acres of public green space.  They also reviewed the past year, with new trails and the dedication of the Anna C. Verna Playground.  We talked about the wide variety of recreational opportunities within the park system, hiking, trail-biking, walking trails and family playgrounds.  They noted that the parks not only add to the general health of the residents, they improve our air quality, help with climate control and add to our property values.  We also discussed the wildlife habitat created by the parks, especially FDR with its wetlands and lake. 

Maura noted that Philadelphians support their park better than any other major city, we are the envy of the East Coast, with plenty of ways to get involved.  The neighborhood associations surrounding the more than 130 local parks have Park Friends groups to help maintain their greenspace. The Friends of Fairmount Park join in city-wide initiatives including the spring and fall Love Your Park clean-ups, scavenger hunts and their upcoming leadership training program to educate and engage local leaders to become skilled advocates for their parks. 

Tara discussed more development plans for FDR Park, including restoring the old stable buildings into a café and gathering place, she tells us that the Conservancy is dedicated to repurposing, adapting and reusing historic hardscapes and structures. 

For maps, event calendars, membership and more about the Fairmount Park Conservancy, visit MyPhilyPark.org