kids encyclopedia robot

List of parks in Philadelphia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Phila parks
Map of the major parks within the city
(click to enlarge)

Philadelphia has a total parkland—including city parks, squares, playgrounds, athletic fields, recreation centers and golf courses, plus state and federal parks—that amounts to 11,211 acres (45.37 km2). The Fairmount Park system historically encompassed 63 park areas prior to 2010, including six city-owned public golf courses, along with the landscaped areas of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the Roosevelt Boulevard and the Southern Boulevard Parkway, two farms and the Manayunk Canal. Those 63 historic park areas have been included among 378 separate facilities which in turn contain the 7 large watershed parks (Fairmount and FDR Parks, plus the Wissahickon, Pennypack, Cobbs, Tacony and Poquessing Creek parks), 143 neighborhood parks and squares, 156 recreation centers and playgrounds, various playing fields, courts, rinks and swimming pools, 40 community gardens and orchards, as well as the six aforementioned golf courses. All facilities are administered by the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation department since a merger of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Department of Recreation in 2010. The new Parks & Recreation department also administers six older adult centers, three environmental education centers, 40 historic sites and 25 KEYSPOT computer labs.

In terms of total park area to population, Philadelphia is ranked ninth among the most densely populated cities in the United States with 7.2 park acres per 1000 residents, and fourth among the same cities in total acres of parkland, behind New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. Philadelphia has reserved 13.5% of its city acreage for parkland, which is the eighth highest percentage among the most densely populated cities.

List of parks

LOVE Park Philly
LOVE Park, officially called John F. Kennedy Plaza
2013 Franklin Square Fountain
Franklin Square fountain
DilworthParkOpening
Dilworth Park during opening
Philadelphia cityscape BW 20150328
Schuylkill Banks boardwalk and Center City
Schuylkill River Trail (Philadelphia)
Schuylkill River Trail, Schuylkill Banks
Park Neighborhood / Area Acres Ref.
Fairmount Park West 2052
Wissahickon Valley Park Northwest 2042
Pennypack Park Northeast 1343
Cobbs Creek Park West, Southwest 851
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park South 348
Tacony Creek Park Northeast 304
Benjamin Rush State Park Northeast 275
Poquessing Creek Park Northeast 189
Morris Park Overbrook 147
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum Southwest 145 double-dagger
Morris Arboretum Chestnut Hill 92
Hunting Park North 87
Burholme Park Northeast 85
Awbury Arboretum Germantown 55
Independence National Historical Park Center City 55
Fernhill Park Northwest 50 dagger
Bartram's Garden Southwest 45
Wissinoming Park Northeast 42
Wister's Woods North 33 dagger
Penn Park University City 24
Fisher Park North 23
Marconi Plaza South 23 dagger
Glen Foerd on the Delaware Northeast 18
Stenton Park North 17 dagger
Pastorius Park Chestnut Hill 16
Makefield Park North 15 dagger
Tacony Park Northeast 13 dagger
Jardel Park Northeast 12 dagger
Bradford Park Northeast 9 dagger
Clark Park West 9
Malcolm X Park West 6
Kingsessing Park Southwest 8.4
Penn Treaty Park Fishtown 8
Schuylkill Banks Center City, South, West 10 dagger
Franklin Square Center City 9.6 dagger
Logan Circle (and surrounding square) Center City 9.6 dagger
Rittenhouse Square Center City 8.3 dagger
Washington Square Center City 8.3 dagger
Eakins Oval Center City 8
LOVE Park (JFK Plaza) Center City 3.4 dagger
Schuylkill River Park Center City 3 dagger
Dilworth Park Center City 2.8 dagger
Franklin's Paine Skatepark Center City 2.5
Sister Cities Park Center City 2 dagger
Matthias Baldwin Park Baldwin Park 2 dagger
Race Street Pier Center City 1 dagger
John F. Collins Park Center City 0.1 dagger
Korean War Memorial Park Penn's Landing 4 dagger
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park Penn's Landing 2.4 dagger
Spruce Street Harbor Park Penn's Landing 0.9 dagger
Drexel Park University City 2.5
Cira Green University City 1.3
Columbus Square Passyunk Square 4.6 dagger
Wharton Square South 4.6 dagger
Stephen Girard Park Girard Estate 4
Dickinson Square Park Pennsport 3
Jefferson Square Southwark 3
Mifflin Square South 4.6 dagger
Starr Garden Park Queen Village 2.2
Pier 68 Pennsport 0.8 dagger
Gold Star Park South 1 dagger
Palmer Park Fishtown 0.9 dagger
Girard Fountain Park Old City 0.15

dagger Approximate acres based on OpenStreetMap estimates
double-dagger Philadelphia acres only—majority of the wildlife refuge is located in Delaware County

Gallery

kids search engine
List of parks in Philadelphia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.