Philly has hundreds of parks. Which is the newest?

Philadelphia opened its first public park, Lemon Hill, now a part of Fairmount Park, in 1855. Today, the city has 576 parks, 403 of which are overseen by the city’s department of parks and recreation.

Philadelphia’s park system was ranked 32nd out of the country’s 100 most-populated cities, according to the Trust for Public Land. Philly scored the highest in accessibility, with 95% of Philadelphians living within a 10-minute walk of a park.

But, when was the last public park created? A reader asked Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for questions about the city and region. And, are there plans for more green space in the Bellwether District?

South Philadelphia High School Park, inaugurated last year between Snyder Avenue and Jackson Street, is the city’s newest green addition, according to parks and recreation, but don’t get too attached to the name. The park will get a new moniker to “give it a unique identity,” according to the Lower Moyamensing Civic Association.

It features an outdoor classroom that is used by students and for community gatherings, with flowering trees, benches, picnic tables, and climbing logs for kids made out of tree branches.

Before the Park at South Philadelphia High School, Logan Circle’s Winter Street Greenway, inaugurated in 2021, had been the latest addition.

A park is expected to open at Morris and Penn Streets in Germantown in May, “as weather allows,” said parks and rec spokesperson Andrew Alter.

Built on the ground of three abandoned lots, the park will feature playground equipment, trees, benches, tables, trash cans, and paved sidewalks with ramps.

In 2025, Philadelphians can expect a riverfront park in Bridesburg as well.

Ground was broken for the Robert A. Borski Park in November. The 10-acre project is expected to have similar amenities to the Germantown park.

Plenty of places in Philadelphia not under parks and rec’s purview — from university campuses to the Navy Yard — also have park-like spaces. As for the Bellwether District, the city does not manage the former Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery site, which was acquired by Hilco Redevelopment Partners after the 2019 refinery fire, and any new green space there will take awhile.

There are long-term plans to develop the district a “state-of-the-art hub,” said Hilco spokesperson Maureen Garrity. But, they won’t fully materialize for at least 10 to 15 years.

The Bellwether District encompasses a 1,300-acre area between the Schuylkill from South 26th Street to Penrose Avenue and I-76.

The project, which began in 2020, is one year ahead of schedule, with 98% of the demolition completed, according to Garrity.

But the new green space remains at least a decade away, pending plan and approvals and zoning by the government. Those plans include the planting of 10,000 trees.

Community members can get updates on the Bellwether District at virtual community meetings that are scheduled for March 26, June 18, Sept. 17, and Nov. 12.