Oct 8 2009
Nearly 40 Groups Are Calling on City and State Government to Revive the Public Riverfronts along the Delaware and Schuylkill
The Coalition for Philadelphia’s Riverfronts (CPR)—a new alliance of more than three dozen civic, neighborhood, governmental, faith-based and business groups—launched an unprecedented and coordinated effort to revive Philadelphia’s waterfront areas yesterday.
The groups that are part of CPR (https://www.pennfuture.org/) want to create a public greenway for clear, easy access to the waterfronts along both the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. The greenway would help recapture Philadelphia’s heritage as a waterfront city and bring it into the 21st Century. Greenways typically contain trails for hiking, jogging and biking, and they provide environmental benefits that improve the overall quality of life. Riverfront greenways already have helped revitalize such cities as San Antonio, Chicago, Pittsburgh and San Francisco.
Existing projects such as new waterfront access along Schuylkill Banks and at Pennypack Park on the Northern Delaware show how cleaning up and maintaining a greenway along the river can serve to revitalize neighborhoods. In fact, Philadelphia exists where it does because of the two rivers. Access to the waterways was vital for business, health and pleasure.
“Philadelphia has an extraordinary opportunity to revitalize our city by restoring our riverfronts so that they achieve their enormous cultural, economic and environmental promise,” said Rachel Vassar, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) Philadelphia Outreach Coordinator and Coordinator for the CPR campaign. “It is time for a riverfront revival. It is time to make a continuous, connected, high-quality greenway city policy.”
The groups involved in the Coalition for Philadelphia’s Riverfront go beyond the traditional environmental organizations. They include development corporations and faith-based associations, civic organizations, governmental agencies and “friends” of all sorts.
The Coalition is asking City Council and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to make the greenway a priority. City Council, according to the Coalition, should pass an ordinance requiring the land along both rivers be reserved for a future greenway, and with the help of the Planning Commission, add the greenway to the official city plan. At a minimum, the new law should require that all new riverfront development be set back far enough from the water to allow for a high quality trail with room for biking and walking and green space to help with stormwater management, filter pollution, and attract wildlife back to the river’s edge. This policy should be applied to all riverfront neighborhoods with the same high standards.
CPR also is calling on the city to look into creative financing options such as tax incremental financing mechanisms, as well as possible state and federal funding, to support the greenway.
“Greenworks Philadelphia sets an ambitious goal of providing park and recreation resources within 10 minutes of 75 percent of residents. Developing parkland and open space connections along the city's rivers is a critical component of this goal,” said Katherine Gajewski, director of sustainability for the city of Philadelphia. “The Mayor's Office of Sustainability looks forward to working with the Coalition for Philadelphia's Riverfronts as we strive to enhance our riverfronts and provide recreational opportunities for the benefit of all Philadelphians.”
Besides the obvious recreational benefits—walkways, bike paths, access to rowing, kayaking and the like—CPR advocates the greenway project for several other reasons:
- It will improve water quality, since a good vegetated buffer can help filter pollutants before they enter our drinking water supply.
- As more and more Philadelphians commute by bike, the greenway will provide them faster, and more environmentally friendly, ways of getting to and from work.
- New recreational space will add to the public health, by offering places for residents to walk, run, cycle, and play. Additionally green space that includes plants and vegetation can combat the urban heat island affect and help filter air pollutants, reducing heat-related deaths and asthma and lung disease.
- Greener riverfronts enhance economic and commercial development. More beautiful and accessible riverfronts provide more attractive places for businesses to locate and bring in jobs. Business owners value open space and river views when choosing their locations.
“The greenway along the river will increase adjacent property values and should be a basic part of riverfront planning,” added Joseph R. Syrnick, president and CEO of the Schuylkill River Development Corporation. “Public access to the riverfront is a key component of the quality of life in Philadelphia.”
Source: http://www.pennfuture.org/campaigns_detail.aspx?CampaignID=49