Section 2. Schuylkill Resources That Need Protection or Enhancement
THE SCHUYLKILL
AND THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
The Schuylkill River has played a significant part in Philadelphia’s
development for more than 300 years, since William Penn’s decision in
1681 to build a new city at its confluence with the Delaware. The Schuylkill
serves as the central spine for Fairmount Park, which began to take shape
in the 1850s. Comprising 8,900 acres of public parkland, including 4,400 acres
of greenway bordering the Schuylkill and Wissahickon Creek, it is one of the
largest landscaped city parks in the world.
SRDC’s
Master Plan envisions improved recreation, tourism, greenspace and industrial
reclamation centered on the Schuylkill River.
With the City suffering from decades of decline, initiatives have been underway to extend Fairmount Park south through the City, thereby creating a new Schuylkill River Park and a vision for reinvestment in the predominantly industrial corridor of the lower Schuylkill River. Planning and development of a pathway from Kelly Drive to Spruce Street, which began in the late 1960s, is now nearing completion as a $21 million project. However, public access to the lower Schuylkill River remains a challenge.
Founded
in 1992, the nonprofit Schuylkill River Development Council (SRDC) has been
an important catalyst and fundraiser for the Schuylkill River Park. In 2000,
with a Pennsylvania DCNR Growing Greener grant and guidance from a task force
representing a cross section of City interests, SRDC began an ambitious Master
Plan for the lower Schuylkill below Fairmount Dam. The plan envisions improved
public access and tourism on the river, reclamation of industrial sites, and
land acquisition to create a greenway connected to adjacent residential neighborhoods.
A view highlighting the Schuylkill River’s significance as a major asset to the City of Philadelphia.
Photo: Gerald S. Williams
Site Design: Tevlin & Clarke
