New Dilworth Park making a splash with visitors

Crowds are gathering near Philadelphia City Hall to explore the newly opened Dilworth Park.

The project took two years and more than $50 million to accomplish. 

“We love it! It’s very nice,” said Chris Holliday. “It’s a huge improvement from what it was before. We came over to check it out.”

Holliday and his co-worker ended up sitting down at a table and eating their lunch in the park Friday. They had plenty of company.

“I’ll be down here pretty often,” said Alan Richardson of North Philadelphia. This is cool.”

He and his smiling 2-year-old son, Jeremiah, admired the rows of fountains sending plumes of water into the air.

“Once you look at it, you say, ‘This is what the city did with the money?'” Richardson continued. But just a glance at the park, he said, and it’s clear the money was worth it.

Roxborough resident Susan Simon said the live music is a little too loud for her … but the park is nice.

“I love the splash fountain,” she said. “I think it’s lovely to have the children here, and they seem to really like it.”

Her husband said the park is a big improvement from the old, rundown site.

Anthony Townson, who works nearby, concurred.

“Yeah, I don’t think I miss the old plaza,” said the Langhorne resident.

If there is good programming at the site, he said might make the trip in from Bucks County to check it out.