‘Bartram’s Mile’ proposal turns vacant land to green space by 2015

    Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, working with its primary partners the Schuylkill River Development Corporation (SRDC) and the John Bartram Association (JBA), is leading a process to reimagine what it is calling “Bartram’s Mile,” which is one mile of currently vacant river frontage along the western banks of the Tidal Schuylkill between Grays Ferry Avenue and 58th Street.

     

     

    The Green2015 plan released by PPR in December 2010 highlights Bartram’s Mile as a major opportunity to convert publicly owned vacant land to public green space before 2015. This new open space has the potential to provide riverfront access and recreation opportunities to an underserved neighborhood as well as help restore an important watershed.

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    In order to help the partners achieve this objective, PennPraxis will conduct a rigorous community engagement and public planning process from October-December 2012 to create a transformational, high-impact public green space along the Schuylkill River.

    This is a portion of the Schuylkill River that has been cut off from public access for decades, so this represents a very exciting opportunity to not only strengthen and link to existing initiatives such as Bartram’s Garden, the Schuylkill River Trail, and the 58th Street Greenway, but also add two new parks that can be community assets for years to come.

    Read more about the Bartram’s Mile project on Plan Philly.

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