Bartram’s Mile: Creating green space for everyone

“Give my children better places to play along the river.”

“Create relaxing space to connect with nature.”

—Feedback gathered during Bartram’s Mile public planning sessions

In partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) and the Schuylkill River Development Corporation, Bartram’s Garden has embarked on an exciting project to reimagine what is being calling “Bartram’s Mile”— one mile of currently vacant river frontage along the western banks of the Schuylkill River between Grays Ferry Avenue and 58th Street.

The Green2015 plan, released by PPR in December 2010, highlights Bartram’s Mile as a major opportunity to convert publicly owned vacant land to public green space by the end of 2015. This new open space will provide riverfront access and enhance recreation for an underserved neighborhood as well as help restore an important watershed in our urban environment.

Once completed, Bartram’s Mile will connect Bartram’s Garden to the Schuylkill River Trail and a rapidly expanding network of pedestrian and bicycle roadways, making our National Historic Landmark more accessible to the public than ever before.

For more info on the Bartram’s Mile project, check out these sites:

planphilly.com/praxis-projects/bartram-s-mile
planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2012/11/06/see-bartrams-mile