Out on the Trail
It has been a very mild summer. Temperatures have been lower than normal, rainfall has been plentiful since July, and the landscape on all of our trail segments along the Lower Schuylkill have benefitted. As an overall observation, trail users are not littering as much as in previous years, but graffiti remains a persistent problem that mostly ebbs and flows with the school year and holidays.
Landscape maintenance by All Seasons, under contract by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation in partnership with SRDC, has continued through the summer. Bi-weekly lawn mowing service (under contract with PPR) began in mid-May and irrigation systems resumed seasonal operation mid-June at both Center City and Grays Ferry trail segments. University City District’s Greenworks program has maintained the Boardwalk landscaping during the 2017 season.
As the trail grows, everyone is concerned about safety. The relationship between SRDC staff and the 9th District bicycle patrols in Center City and the 17th District near Grays Ferry continues to be positive and communicative and we are glad to have their presence on the trails. Please feel free to contact your local police district and SRDC if you have personal concerns about safety on a particular segment of Schuylkill Banks.
Bartram's Mile
It has been exciting to see the immediate use of the Bartram’s Mile trail that opened last April. Families and community groups have especially been drawn to the new 56th Street pavilion area. Please use caution around pedestrians and trucks when driving in through the 51st Street and 56th Street entrances and make sure to use waste cans for trash after picnics and events.
Grays Ferry Crescent
Grays Ferry Crescent continues to be well-used by the local community for fishing, walking, skateboarding and picnics. Small scale graffiti is a persistent problem due to the remote location, as well as blown trash from the Waste Management recycling facility.
This month, Grays Ferry Crescent is hosting a Fringe festival event that has been a success in terms of operations and safety, as well as the theater and dance reviews. Movie night programming was also particularly successful at Grays Ferry Crescent this year and we thank everyone for coming out to make that a success.
Volunteer Program
This summer continued to be a strong volunteer season with 23 volunteer groups, totaling 500 volunteers, helping to maintain the entire trail. The entire staff at SRDC continues to do a great job of attracting, organizing and creating meaningful experiences for individual volunteers, community groups, corporations and institutions.
Volunteers are a vital part of the successful operations of Schuylkill Banks! They assist with programs like movie nights and kayak tours, in addition to participating in cleanup and maintenance opportunities, and assisting with special events. Please consider volunteering for movie nights, kayak tours, boat tours, or maintenance projects this year or during the 2018 season! For more information about individual or group volunteer opportunities at Schuylkill Banks, contact Zoe Axelrod at [email protected] or 215-309-5523 x105 or visit our website.
