Connecting with the Schuylkill, a walk to celebrate World Water Day

The Fairmount Water Works hosted its first ever United Nations of Rivers Walk Friday to honor the United Nations Water Conference and this year’s World Water Day.

Visitors from Philadelphia and other parts of the world gathered at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center before walking downstream along the Schuylkill River to learn more about the river’s history in Philadelphia.

As a part of a global program, the River Walk highlighted the importance of rivers and encouraged visitors to get themselves familiar with their environment.

“I just think it’s a really great way to tap into the heart center of folks,” said Dr. Jamē McCray, managing director for the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River.

McCray led the River Walk on Friday and introduced interactive activities about water and the environment with the visitors; one of those activities was a water-themed dance based on new knowledge people have learned throughout the walk.

“We need to be creative in thinking about what that future looks like and dancing is a way to tap into that creativity,” said McCray.

Maureen McGuigan, her spouse Iliiaz Imanaliev, and their daughters Mirabell, 6, and Aisadora, 4, traveled from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia to visit family in Philadelphia. They joined the River Walk to give their children the chance to connect with nature and to learn about interacting with the environment.  “We try to make sure that they’re out in nature as much as possible in learning about environmental relationships,” said McGuigan.

The event also included actors, who were part of the day. Water Woman, played by Maura Jarvis, is the mascot for the Philadelphia Water Department. The character protects the city’s waterways pollution and makes it her business to “Fight Grime.”

Jarvis hopes that Friday’s walk can help people better understand the importance of water. “Just being able to be more present in this space and thinking about what we can do to have a positive impact on the environment as water is concerned,” said Jarvis.

The conversation about water, nature, and the environment will continue on Saturday, when the Fairmount Water Works hosts its Water, Heritage Sites & Sustainability event, highlighting the role water plays in sustainable development.

Saturday’s program will include delegates from the Netherlands, viewing of the award-winning “POOL: A Social History of Segregation” and a preview of the Water Works latest exhibit, “Inland: The Abandoned Canals of the Schuylkill Navigation”.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Maureen McGuigan and her family traveled from Southeast Asia.