04/22/24 - 117 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/9bh4zbtr
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Ground Broken For Model Sustainable Park In Philadelphia
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Philadelphia officials recently held the groundbreaking for Philadelphia’s newest open space—Hawthorne Park-- as a model for the sustainable greenscapes initiative.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources provided some assistance for Hawthorne Park to be selected as one of 150 national pilot projects to test out a new program for greening landscapes—the Sustainable SITES Initiative.
SITES is a national collaboration that has produced the first voluntary set of performance benchmarks to encourage the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of landscapes.
“Hawthorne Park’s construction highlights Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s commitment to add 500 acres of publicly accessible open space to Philadelphia by the year 2015 as part of our Green Works plan” said Mayor Nutter.
The $2.2 million project is possible in part through funding of $1.1 million from DCNR, as well as other government and foundation partners.
Hawthorne’s design was chosen for the SITES initiative because it “gives back” to nature through native plantings and shade trees, reduced use of water, open pavers and low-energy lights.
“Just because a park is green does not mean that it is sustainable—we need our parks to improve environmental quality,” said Brenda Barrett, director of DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. “And, Hawthorne demonstrates that we can build an affordable, sustainably designed public park in a dense urban neighborhood.”
The park, designed by a consultant team led by Lager Raabe Skafte Landscape Architects, will provide a passive gathering and communal spot featuring shade trees, paths and benches, a lawn area that will serve as an amphitheater and innovative storm water management practices.
The park is located at 12th and Catherine Streets. Construction is anticipated to be completed by spring 2012.
For more information, download the Hawthorne Park fact sheet from the DCNR website.
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4/4/2011 |
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