What can the next mayor do to create a great park in every neighborhood?
In February, 50 community and parks leaders gathered to honor the hard won achievements of the 2000's and identify the key elements for creating a great park in every neighborhood.
We met again in June to launch working groups to prepare action items for the next mayor to:
Make all Parks & rec sites safe and clean
Create more recreation programming, and
Grow the urban forest through the Philly Tree Plan
Rec It Philly Questionnaire Answer Highlights from Cherelle Parker
I would like to at least double our investment [in Parks & Rec] by the end of my first term. As the sixth largest city in the country and the birthplace of the nation, the City of Philadelphia should be parallel with the likes of New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston.
It is not enough to simply invest in our Parks & Rec infrastructure without making a significant investment in the personnel to maintain, service, and care for our facilities.
We must realize that we cannot address many of our issues alone, it will take a collaborative effort of state, federal, and local government buy-in; and private sector investment to build the city that we want and invest into areas such as Parks & Rec.
We must ensure that our many urban areas are flush with trees not only from a beautification perspective but also in combating some of the effects of carbon emissions and heat vulnerability.
I want to be the Mayor that plants the most trees in the history of the City and immediately address the backlog of trees to be pruned or removed.
There is absolutely a connection between public safety and maintaining cleaner and greener spaces in our city.
I will ensure that we have a comprehensive plan to eliminate short dumping in our parks and empty lots.
Parks and Rec will be vital in [job creation] efforts as we will prioritize creating new jobs at our facilities.
Read all of Parker’s answers to our Rec It Philly Questionnaire
The Rec It Philly Coalition
We are a coalition of 50+ parks groups, Recreation Advisory Councils and Out of School Time providers who support Rec It Philly.
Neighborhood Groups
Amos Playground Advisory Council
Barrett Recreation Advisory Board
Bella Vista Neighbors Association
Blue Bell Hill Civic Association
Centennial Parkside CDC
Da Vinci Art Alliance
East Passyunk Community Center Advisory Council
Feliz Filadelfia
Finley Recreation Advisory Council
Friends of Clark Park
Friends of Cloverly Park
Friends of Fernhill Park
Friends of Fitler Square Park
Friends of Hart Park
Friends of Manton St Park & Community Garden
Friends of Mario Lanza Park
Friends of Mifflin Square Park
Friends of Palumbo Park
Friends of the Rail Park
Friends of the Wissahickon
Friends of Vernon Park
Ground Reconsidered
Heritage Community Development Corporation
Lawncrest Recreation Advisory Council
Logan Civic Association
Philadelphia Outward Bound School
Phillypumptrack at Parkside Evans
Riverfront North Partnership
Sayre Recreation Advisory Council
Schuylkill River Park Alliance
Seger Park Advisory Council
Street Legends Youth Sports Program
Sturgis Playground Advisory Council
Torresdale Women's Committee
Wynnefield Cultural Center Advisory Council
Citywide Groups
Parks & Rec Heroes Fund
Fairmount Park Conservancy
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative
ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Neighborhood Gardens Trust
The Trust for Public Land
Philadelphia Orchard Project
East Coast Greenway Alliance
Audubon PA
Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society
NET Community Care CUA7
Our Executive Director explains our questions for the next mayor.