The Gorgas family settled in Roxborough in the 17th century, and their name is written into the local landscape with a historic house, a street, and a public park. Gorgas Park got its start in 1892 with the donation of five acres of the family's land by sixth-generation descendent Susan Gorgas. A new park improvement project beginning this week will support Gorgas Park’s founding mission – to serve as a green oasis within easy reach of Roxborough residents.

The Gorgas Park Safety Improvement Project will replace damaged sidewalks, widen the parking lane, and add sidewalk bump outs along the Ridge Avenue side of the park. These improvements will calm traffic and make it safer for residents to walk or drive to the park. Construction will begin the week of March 17th and wrap up by the end of April.

The project has been made possible through grants from Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr., the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, and the PA Department of Economic and Community Development, with advocacy and contributions by the Roxborough Development Corporation and Friends of Gorgas Park.

Measures will be taken to minimize disruption to residents, pedestrians, and vehicular traffic during construction.

• Construction will take place on weekdays only. It will not occur on weekends.
• During construction, the sidewalk along the Gorgas Park side of Ridge Avenue between Acorn and Hermitage Streets and both parking lanes will be closed.
• Pedestrians will be provided with a safe, well-marked detour using the sidewalk across from Gorgas Park between Acorn and Hermitage Streets.

• During construction, both parking lanes along the Gorgas Park side of Ridge Avenue will be closed.
   

• Travel lanes on Ridge Avenue will remain open with traffic control during the day.
• Gorgas Park will remain accessible via the Acorn and Hermitage Street entrances.
   

Jax Cusack, Executive Director of the Roxborough Development Corporation, says, “We are grateful to Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. for making this critical project possible. The Gorgas Park Safety Improvement Project supports the RDC’s vision for a more walkable Ridge Avenue commercial corridor.”

John Boyce, President of Friends of Gorgas Park, adds, “Our Friends group brought Gorgas Park back to life. This project supports the great work we've done to restore and enhance Roxborough’s 'Central Park'.”