FDR Park Gateway Project receives $4.5M in funding!

On Tuesday, March 9, Fairmount Park Conservancy joined the City of Philadelphia at FDR Park to announce $4.5 million in funding for the latest implementation of the FDR Park Plan, the Gateway Project.

Mayor Jim Kenney was joined by the Conservancy, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and PA RACP to announce the funding for the project, which will help create a modern Welcome Center at FDR Park and design a world-class destination playscape – the first of its kind in South Philadelphia.

The total 2020 funding committed to the project includes:

$1 million from the City of Philadelphia
$3 million from PA RACP
$250,000 from PA DCNR, matched by $250,000 from the Conservancy. This will go to support the design of the Pattison Playground.

“Throughout the master planning process, we learned that park-goers wanted more nature and more play at the Lakes. The Pattison Playground will bring both to South Philadelphia, thanks to the generous support of the DCNR grant,” said Maura McCarthy, Ph.D., Executive Director of Fairmount Park Conservancy. “Fairmount Park Conservancy has been committed to the future of FDR Park since day one, and we can’t wait for families to enjoy this one-of-a-kind playscape.”

The Welcome Center. Renderings by WRT.