On Tuesday night, at the Juniata Golf Course, the city’s Parks and Recreations Department, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Planning Commission, held the first public meeting on the findings of the feasibility study for the Frankford Creek Greenway. The greenway is meant to allow residents to walk or bike the entire length of the Frankford Creek through Frankford to the Delaware River, and increase recreational space along it. The organizations are seeking feedback from the community about a few options for implementing the path.
This project is a high priority for the city because it sees the area as a “green dessert”, an area severely under served by park space. The point is hit home by calling the project a “greenway” instead of a trail, because there’s not much green space around. While other creeks in the city, namely the Wissahickon and Pennypack, have a lot green nature surrounding them, the Frankford Creek is the only one in the city that doesn’t have parkland adjacent. The purpose of the paths is to connect Frankford’s green spaces together and further enhance alternative options of transportation(ie. bikes). It was noted that the planners are hoping that neighborhood residents will use the greenway to get to shopping down along Aramingo Ave.
Residents of the Twins at Powder Mill have a lot at stake here
Attendees were invited to cast votes for one of three options of how the greenway will run around the residential development at the Twins at Powder Mill near Potter Street. Residents there stand to benefit(or suffer, depending on your point of view) the most from the completion of the Frankford Creek Greenway. The city owns a sizable lot adjacent to the creek at Wingohocking Street, and has several options for building a route through it. It was noted at the meeting that sometimes residents do not like having paths running next to their back yards, as it encourages transients. Three options were presented, a path along the creek, a path nearer the back yards of the Twins with green space to the creek, and a bypass of the back yards altogether with a bike path along Potter Street. Having a trailhead near the development, along with cultivated recreational and alternative transportation options could mean increased value and quality of life for the residents there. Further feedback is encouraged.
The feasibility study comes before any money is spent. This isn’t bulldozer time. No money has been provisioned yet for the project, the planners are hoping for grants from the state and other local governments. Before any grants may be obtained, they’ll need final design and construction documents, which takes time. PennDot is going to be constructing the portion of the trail that runs along their Adams Ave Connector project, making up roughly one third of the entire length. The greenway paths will not be an afterthought, this is a new day for Penndot. The organization is very bullish on alternative means of transportation.
The next meeting of the Frankford Creek Greenway will be at the Globe Dye Works at a yet to be determined time.
