Title
Deploring the efforts by CSX Transportation to deprive Philadelphians of public access to one of the City's treasures, the Schuylkill River Park and its trails, through a misguided lawsuit and also deploring CSX's contempt for the City as demonstrated by its refusal to promptly and appropriately repair its structural supports and bridge over 25th Street and by its practice of parking trains filled with noxious garbage alongside the Fitler Square neighborhood, and further expressing this Council's strong support for the aggressive defense against this lawsuit by the City Solicitor and for the efforts by community organizations and concerned individuals, including members of this Council, led by the organization Free Schuylkill River Park, to intervene in the litigation.
Body
WHEREAS, The Schuylkill River Park, along with its newly developed river edge trail, is a cherished City asset, utilized by roughly five thousand residents each week for walking, bicycling, jogging, birding, fishing, and other active and passive recreation, including visual enjoyment of the river, and scenery and the observation of nature, wildlife, and habitat; and
WHEREAS, A recent survey of park and river users entering Schuylkill River Park found that the vast majority access the river trail by traveling over Race (21%) and Locust Streets (64%), while less than six percent of park and river users gain access via the Walnut Street stairway or the Market/Chestnut ramp; and
WHEREAS, Race and Locust Streets are both original "Charter Streets", having been designated as such in the grant from William Penn to the City of Philadelphia in 1701, with both streets running between the Schuylkill River and the Delaware River; and
WHEREAS, From the inception of the grant to the City of Philadelphia by William Penn to the present day, this Council has never vacated, abandoned, or stricken from the City Plan any portion of Locust or Race Streets which runs between 25th Street and the Schuylk...
Click here for full text