South Philadelpia gets first park as product of park system, recreation merger

South Philadelphia is getting a slice of the city’s 500 acre-plan. Mayor Michael Nutter and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Michael DiBerardinis will break ground today on Hawthorne Park at 12th and Catherine streets.

The park is the first to come of the Recreation Department’s merger with the Fairmount Park System, and is part of the city’s Green2015 plan to add 500 acres of green space to the city by 2015.

Funding for the $2.2 million project comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Councilman Frank DiCicco, State Rep. Babette Josephs, Pew Charitable Trusts and the William Penn Foundation.