Parking

There's Girard Avenue. Girard College. Stephen Girard Park. And Girard Fountain Park, the focus of this week's column. All are named for or funded by Stephen Girard, a banker from the 19th century who is apparently credited with saving the US from financial breakdown in the War of 1812. Created in the 1960s, Girard Fountain Park is next to the fire company on 4th and Arch street at what once used to be 325 Arch Street. A fund established by Girard to improve the Delaware Front of the city was used to refurbish the park in 1976.The park is a pocket park, since it is only .15 acre in size (a little bit bigger than your average row home). Unlike other city parks, this one is not overseen by the Dept. of Recreation or Fairmount Park but by the Fire Department. When approaching the park, you'll first hear the rushing water from its eponymous fountain. That may be the only clue you'll get that this is the park, as there aren't any signs announcing what it is. I wonder if that keeps people away: for the hour I was there, I was the only soul in the park (save for the birds frolicking in the large bowl of bird seed set out for them).

On the other hand, the giant bronze bust of Ben Franklin that sits at the entrance to the park is pretty noticeable, even from several blocks away. The current sculpture was commissioned in 2003 by the public art's agency to replace Reginald Beauchamp's "Penny Franklin" sculpture, which was made of acrylic, covered in pennies, and unfortunately deteroirating. The new sculpture, Keys to the Community, by James Peniston, is covered with casts of over 1000 keys collected from children. Funds for the sculpture were donated by the fire department and by children, who donated 1.8 million pennies. Keys to the Community was dedicated in 2007.

The rest of the park's history is similar to that of its sculpture. By the 1990s, it was kept locked up by the fire department and was in an unfortunate state. However, some residents of Old City took action in the early 2000s and restored the park. The fountain at the front of the park was repaired and restored and switched back on in 2008. Today, the park is beautiful. Sitting in it, you get the sense that someone has spent a great deal of time making the park a great place. It's in the small details like the aforementioned bird seed bowl or in the tidy planters on the side of the park or in the fact that on the small grassy area in the back of the park, someone has set up a horse shoe court. I feel that I always conclude by telling you go to a park, but please, just do it in this case. Such a lovely park deserves more visitors.

Upcoming Events in Parks:

Get Involved:

• Dickinson Square Park Clean Up Saturday, 9AM, Tasker and 4th Streets (previous Parking).

Dance:

• Line Dancing at Malcolm X Park. Wednesday, 9/3, 6-9PM

Farmer's Markets:

• Cliveden Park, Wednesdays, 2-6PM, Chew Avenue and Johnson Street
• Schuylkill River Park, Wednesdays, 3-7PM
• Fitler Square (Previous Parking), Saturdays, 9AM-1PM
• Clark Park (Previous Parking), Thursdays, 3-7PM, Saturdays, 10AM-1PM
• Rittenhouse Square (Tuesdays, 10AM-1PM and Saturdays 9:30AM-3PM
• Palmer Park Frankford Avenue and East Palmer Street, Thursdays, 2-6PM

If you know of anything exciting happening in your local park in the near future, please e-mail amy@phillyist.com!