Parking

Did any one attend the Love Park kissykissy commercial shoot this past sunday? I didn't—choosing instead to do research on this week's park: Dickinson Square. Although Dickinson is in its name, the park is actually located a block south of Dickinson Street, between Tasker and Morris, and bordered by 4th Street and Moyamensing Avenue on the West and East sides. The park has been a park since 1900, after the Pascal Iron Works packed up and moved to Delaware, deeding the land to the city, who then gave it to the Children's Culture League (hence its rather awesome playground). The name comes from John Dickinson, governor of Pennsylvania from 1782-1785 (who also happened to found Dickinson College, serve as governor as Delaware, and advocate for NOT separating from Britain. The man got around: he deserves his park).

According to an article in the Journal of Sport History all about organized children's recreation in Philly, when the playground in Dickinson Square first opened, it was the most "complete playground of its kind in the United States." Back then it apparently had a running track, swings, gender separated buildings complete with baths, and in the winter time, the fields were flooded for ice skating. Sweet. The park still has a pretty great playground, with swings and a very weird piece of apparatus that consists of a conical structure topped with a sculpture of a child holding out two rings. My guess is that you are meant to run up the cone and grab the rings, but then what?

In nicer weather, the park is populated by children, their parents, the young professionals moving into the neighborhood, and many, many insane squirrels. Granted, squirrels in Philly all seem a little crazed, but I have to give the award for most looking as though they will leap off a tree at you to the Dickinson Square rodents. Just look at the photo.

Dickinson Square also has an active "Friends of" organization, which arranges musical events in the spring/summertime as well as the weekly cleanup. On Tuesday February 17th, there will be a meeting to discuss the development and design of a new dog run area in the park (sounds pretty cool). If you attend, not only will you get to help out in and have a voice in your community, but you'll get to meet the park's new president.

Other Park Events:

Get your veggies: Farmer's Markets: Fitler Square (Saturdays, 9AM-2PM); Clark Park (Saturdays, 10AM-1PM), Rittenhouse Square (Saturdays 10AM-2PM)

Clean It Up: Love up on the Wissahickon this V-Day Meet outside Valley Green Inn, on Forbidden Drive in Wissahickon Valley Park, Saturday, 10AM-12:30PM

For the Kids: Ryerss Museum & Library on Valentine's Day: learn all about Victorian Valentines and make your own card. Saturday, 1-3PM Burholme Park, 7370 Central Ave, in the Fox Chase section of the city.

Image Credit: Flickr user ethorson