Northeast Philly park gets $2.7 million

City officials announced today that the long undeveloped Benjamin Rush State Park in Northeast Philadelphia is getting $2.7 million in state funding. The money will go toward a new park entrance, a walking and biking trail and comfort and parking areas. Christina Novak, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, says the funds will also go toward making the development environmentally friendly.  “There will be some green features,” she says. “New water and sewer systems and storm water controls that will improve environmental protection.  Also native plantings, and we’re going to be using porous asphalt for parking material.”The project will be open to bidders in the first half of 2011, with construction set to begin later that year.