Parking

These week we venture up to Mount Airy to Allens Lane, which is part of the Fairmount Park system. Allens Lane has some sentimental value to me, as I've worked on some shows at the theater there. "What? There's a theater in the park?" you ask. Yes, there is, which is one thing I love about writing this column and exploring the parks in this city: I never knew Allens Lane "counted" as a park until I started poking around. Also, I love the fact that our parks are multi-faceted, not just places for running around outdoors and picnicking, but also for getting a nice dose of arts and culture.

Allens Lane Art Center features an art gallery, arts and dance classes, and a producing theater. It's housed in a former carriage house on the park grounds, which are located at Allens Lane and McCallum Street. The park also features a few tennis courts, a newly redone playground, and a large playing field area. There's a small garden next to the art center, which apparently is a herb garden, but I couldn't really tell. It was rather overgrown the other day. But then again, it is the end of summer. The center itself was founded in 1953 by residents of Mount Airy who were concerned about mounting tension in their communities. A lot of programs there are focused on youth, there's a summer camp as well as the above mentioned classes.

The park grounds see frequent use, from people playing tennis, baseball, or just running around having a good time. If you want to check the park out, it's a (kind of) short ride on the R8 to the Allen Lane station. (No, that's not a typo, that's what SEPTA calls the station. Who knows why.) If you prefer the longer, more scenic route, there's the 23 bus that goes up Germantown Avenue from South Philly to Chestnut Hill. It's then just a short walk from either the bus stop or train station to the park. As always, go visit this park. Play some tennis and look at the exhibit in the gallery. Quick, before fall and then winter descends on us and it's too cold to do any parking!

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, 9/16, 6-9PM

Festival/Art/Flea Market:

• Flea Market, Taras Shevchenko Park, Broad St and Somerville. Saturday, 9/26, 8AM-12PM.

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!