... Why does it take so long to upgrade Philly’s water infrastructure? Julie Slavet, executive director of the partnership, said the mission of the program is to improve the health and vitality of our watershed. Sign up for our weekly newsletter. The 30 square mile watershed includes neighborhoods in North, Northeast and Northwest Philadelphia, as well as communities in Montgomery County. In-depth, original reporting on housing, transportation, and development. Tookany Creek Trail Fest is Cheltenham's kickoff to spring and Earth Day week activities, and will be held on the official Opening Day for Trails on April 18, 2020! Philadelphia’s aging water infrastructure. When I saw that there was an ongoing feasibility study for a circuit trail through Cheltenham, I was ecstatic and immediately wanted to get involved in this effort. Because when they’re not that good, people don’t come. This 3.4-mile trail down the heart of the Tookany Creek could add another beautiful natural landmark to our community. The run was used as a platform to mark the dedication of a new urban trail that links the Philadelphia park system together. The Pulse focuses on stories at the heart of health, science and innovation in the Philadelphia region. Old City needs 2 months of repairs; the open streets experiment isn’t going well. Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Tacony Creek Trail | Photo by Thom Carroll. 27 Trail As far as we know, there is really only one trail in this small park. Though there are some short trails within Cheltenham, I have always desired a more extensive network of trails in my neighborhood. “Even the people who lived in this area for decades didn’t know it was here and that’s what we at Parks and Rec are striving for, which is to get people into the park.”. “I think the completion of this trail and the plans to extend the trail north of the Boulevard and to connect it to the regional system is going to greatly improve the usership and the stewardship of these wonderful resources, and hopefully improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.”. It is currently maintained as a passive recreation area. This trail will link with the Frankford Creek Greenway, which will connect to the North Delaware Greenway. History: Acquired by the Township in parcels between 1933 and 1945. Improving the health and vitality of the watershed. Slavet said the program uses outreach events like the Healthy Trails 5K to improve the watershed and make the creeks healthier. Guest: Debra McCarty Residents of Northeast Philadelphia were invited to the inaugural Healthy Trails 5K run/walk in the Tookany/Tacony Creek Park to enjoy a fun-filled day with friends and community members. And when they’re not taken care of and when they are not meeting the standards [of what people are expecting], then people won’t come to them,” DiBerardinis said. Here’s an explanation. Chief among them: Is the city’s water infrastructure too old or too shoddy to prevent such events? DiBerardinis said he believes bringing people to the park has the potential to benefit their futures. The July 3 rupture raised a lot of questions for Philadelphians. Early this month, a water main broke in Center City Philadelphia, sending 15 million gallons Saturday marked a continuation of a developing initiative, occurring all throughout the United States, of promoting healthier lifestyles. Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Patty Kozlowski, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation assistant managing director, dubbed the park and the new trail the best-kept secret in Philadelphia. As a lifelong Cheltenham resident, I have frequently found myself going out of the township to seek out nature trails. The Circuit Trails Trail Facts. “Nobody knows it’s here,” Kozlowski said. Facilities include: Passive recreation area, natural area, jogging trail, leisure area, fitness court. This event will be held along Tookany Creek Trail at the trail-head near the Tookany Creek Parkway and Central Avenue parking lot in Cheltenham. I recognized that this trail could raise the health of our communities, our overall environmental consciousness, and provide a safe, emission-free transit option for people within our district. The event, which was sponsored by the Philadelphia Water Department, the Scattergood Foundation, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Friends Hospital, the Fairmount Park Conservancy and the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, drew residents from all age groups out to see what the new trail had to offer. It’s normal for busted water mains to stop the flow of water, but a main break in Old City is slowing the flow of cash small business owners. WHYY connects you to your community and the world by delivering reliable information and worthwhile entertainment. However, he stressed getting the community informed of its existence was not the only important thing in the trails’ continued existence. Tookany Creek Park 700 Tookany Creek Parkway Cheltenham, Pennsylvania 19012 Saturday, June 30, 2012 Hike No. He mentioned another important thing, which was maintaining the park and trail so people could enjoy it for a long time. The creation of a new trail in the Tookany/Tacony Creek Park is not focused just on improving the livelihoods of people through physical activity, but also on improving the quality of their drinking water as well. Crossing the boulevard before was like taking your life in your hands.” Michael DiBerardinis, deputy mayor for environmental and community resources, said he believes letting people know this park and trail exist are important for its long-term success. “I think this trail is representative of what we are trying to do, which is lift up all the amenities [in the city] to a certain quality and then work to connect people to them. Under the sponsorship of the Tookany-Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Campbell Thomas & Co. (a local architecture firm) is working on a study to identify possible upgrades to the existing trail and construction of new a trail alongside the Tookany Creek. “Being able to go under the boulevard is huge in terms of increasing use and making it safer. Tookany Creek Parkway, Cheltenham . The funds will be utilized to construct a three-quarter mile segment of the Tookany Creek Trail at the Gimbel Field between Harrison Avenue and New Second Street. And although the park may be an asset to the neighborhood, sometimes having a secret can be a significant problem. An April 27 5k that started and ended behind Friends Hospital promoted healthy lifestyles, clean water and a new trail along the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Creek watershed. WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor. Slavet said people tend to question the focus on Montgomery County, but she reiterated there was an important reason to pay attention those counties. The trail will be ten-feet wide in this area. Under the sponsorship of the Tookany-Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Campbell Thomas & Co. (a local architecture firm) is working on a study to identify possible upgrades to the existing trail and construction of new a trail alongside the Tookany Creek. “The creek stream system comes down from Montgomery County and goes through the city and ends up in the Delaware [River],” she explained, “and for those who live in Philadelphia, their water comes from the Delaware and Schuylkill River and the city cleans it up so Philadelphians can drink it.”. This is where the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership comes into the picture. Biden and Harris take center stage, calling for the end of the era of demonization, Fireworks, car horns, cowbells: Celebrating the Biden-Harris win in Philly, ‘He fought hard’: Walter Wallace Jr. eulogized at emotional funeral service. Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal. She also said the majority of the work the partnership does focuses on the Tookany/Tacony Creek Park. With a name inspired by the First Amendment, 1A explores important issues such as policy, politics, technology, and what connects us across the fissures that divide the country. Related Links Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Inc. As the two new segments of trail opened in 2013 and 2018, respectively, Kuzma was enthused. The…