Title
Authorizing the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold public hearings on the condition of the City's public park system, including funding, maintenance, infrastructure, staffing, safety, and opportunities to establish sustainable long-term revenue streams to support Philadelphia's parks, recreation centers, and public green spaces.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia manages one of the largest and oldest urban park systems in the United States, overseeing approximately 11,516 acres of parkland, including watershed parks, neighborhood parks and squares, recreation centers, playgrounds, athletic fields, pools, trails, and community gardens; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia's parks and recreation spaces provide critical public benefits, including opportunities for recreation, youth programming, social connection, environmental education, and community engagement, while also improving physical and mental health outcomes for residents across the city; and
WHEREAS, Parks and public green spaces play a vital role in climate resiliency and environmental sustainability by reducing urban heat island effects, improving air quality, managing stormwater, and mitigating flooding in vulnerable communities; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia's parks, recreation centers, and public spaces serve as essential community anchors that support neighborhood safety, violence prevention, youth engagement, and overall quality of life for residents of all ages; and
WHEREAS, Despite the continued efforts of the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation and frontline Parks and Recreation employees, the City's park system continues to face longstanding challenges related to insufficient funding, deferred maintenance, aging infrastructure, staffing shortages, custodial needs, tree maintenance, lighting deficiencies, and limited long-term capital investment; and
WHEREAS, Councilmember Anthony Phillips and his office have worked collaborativel...
Click here for full text