Results tagged “park”

Today I will discuss what may be the smallest (and loneliest) park ever. It's Grable Post, located smack in the middle of the intersection of Moyamensing Avenue, 3rd Street, and Reed Street in South Philadelphia. As its name suggests, Grable Post is a post—a flag pole bearing the US and POW-MIA flags with a wall and small garden box built in honor of veterans. I had walked by the park countless times and never really noticed it until I saw it listed on the Department of Parks and Recreation's website as a park (there's also a much better picture there). That said, I've never seen anyone spending time by the post, unless they were waiting for the 57 bus which rolls down Moyamensing. When I went to get a closer look at it and to see what its story was, I was dismayed to find that the light blue chain link fence surrounding it was locked. Perhaps there was a problem with vandalism in the past. It was difficult to really immerse myself into the park when I had to stand by and lean over a fence, scribbling notes on a piece of paper.

The current Franklin Square seems designed more for visitors to our fair city than for its residents, which is fine. It is a splendid presentation and the fancy park is a huge step up from what the place used to be. And besides, while we may not be tourists, that doesn't mean we can't play mini-golf or ride the carousel.

Open House at Fairmount Park Environmental Centers Learn about local wildlife, bird watch, and look at native fish in aquariums. Saturday 4/4, Wissahickon Environmental Center, 10AM-4PM and Pennypack Environmental Center, 9AM-3PM

A sign stuck into the garden states that park is part of Philadelphia Green, which works to maintain and revitalize parks. For an area with lots of highways and shopping centers and few trees, even the smallest amount of green helps a great deal. I also found some research that states that even just ten percent more greenspace can help to cool surface temperature by seven degrees. That means that if every tenth row house was replaced by a Howard and Reed sized park, and lovingly maintained, Philly summers might not be so unbearable. Just something think about as the seasons start to warm up.