The Roxborough Pocket Park received a final round of funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account-Philadelphia Program.

Building off of a second year of momentum since the Roxborough Pocket Park opened to the public in the spring of 2018, funding recently granted to the Roxborough Development Corporation through the support of State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and State Rep. Pamela A. DeLissio (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) will finalize improvements to the park in the spring of 2020.  

The Local Share Account-Philadelphia (LSA) program distributes a portion of slot machine license operation fees for economic development, neighborhood revitalization, community improvement, and public interest projects in the City of Philadelphia.

Funds approved for the Roxborough Pocket Park will complete an artistic entry gate at the site, add additional lighting in the parking lot adjacent to the park and complete a mural started through a grant from Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and Philadelphia Water Department in 2018.

“These funds serve as a capstone for the park project and allow us to realize our vision to complete this public place,”

“These funds serve as a capstone for the park project and allow us to realize our vision to complete this public place,” said James Harry Calamia Executive Director of the Roxborough Development Corporation. “We extend our thanks to State Senator Vincent Hughes and State Representative Pamela DeLissio in advocating for this important project since the community design process began years ago.”
 

The artistic entry gate at the park will be based on conceptual images from John F. Collins Park in Center City Philadelphia and Parkside Learning Center in Camden, NJ. The Leverington Avenue parking lot lighting improvements includes the replacement of eight dilapidated and broken lighting fixtures at the parking lot. The completion of the mural includes mural installation work at a 2,700 sq. ft. wall across from the recently completed “Watershed” mural by artist Paul Santoleri.

The vision for the Roxborough Pocket Park has transformed a once vacant unusable asphalt lot in the heart of Ridge Avenue into a sustainable, green flex space that is being used for special events, programming as well as activities for children and adults alike. By depaving the asphalt lot and installing plantings, flower beds, rain gardens and permeable pavers the project has created 5,500 square feet of usable area that also manages stormwater headed for the Schuylkill River. Since the project’s inception, fire damaged and abandoned property near the site have been developed into mixed-use buildings, sit-down restaurants and a brewery project preparing to open and utilize a portion of the park space. Work through the Local Share Account- Philadelphia for the Roxborough Pocket Park will start as early as spring 2020.