McMichael Park

McMichael Park is located within the East Falls section of Philadelphia. The park is right on Henry Avenue and close to the Allegheny West area. The park was established in 1929, but before that, the land was used as headquarters for Lafayette during the American Revolution according to the East Falls History website. The park is named after Morton McMichael (1807-1879), who was the first President of the Fairmount Park Commission in 1867, the Mayor of Philadelphia in 1866, the publisher of the North American newspaper, and the founder of the Union League of Philadelphia. Now, the park's upkeep is maintained by the East Falls Friends of McMichael Park and the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department. 

If you enjoy local community events...

• The Friends of the park host local events ranging from Candlelight Carol Singing to volunteer work in order to keep the park's grounds clean and green. 
• According to this Newsworks article, the park just had it's 25th annual Christmas Caroling event!   
• The park is also home to an annual flea market that includes over 100 vendors. 
• During the summer, the Friends put together a free week show of Shakespeare Theater in the park. 

 If you enjoy minimalist details...

•  The park includes a large war memorial, a small turtle statue, a variety of trees, and a few park benches. 
• The park is great to take your dog or children, but you need to look out for the fast-paced traffic on Henry Avenue. 
• The rest of the square is surrounded by large East Falls houses, which are also visually pleasing. 
• It's also great for college students to have a chance to get away from their hectic schedule and relax in the green space. 

 If you like to volunteer...

• The Friends gather local volunteers to take part in LOVE Your Park, which is a collaborative partnership between Philadelphia Parks & Rec and the Fairmount Park Conservancy to promote Friends groups across the Philly area and help conserve and maintain the green space. 

If you would like to keep up with the EF Friends of McMichael Park events, 

you can like their Facebook page here!  


 

Pennypack on the Delaware

Pennypack on the Delaware Trail is a recent addition to Philadelphia's public green parks. It's located off the Delaware River within the Northeast part of Philadelphia and was opened to the public in 2008. According to the Pennsylvania Environmental Council article, the park is an expansion to the revitalization of the Delaware River project. Warning! There's not much information on this new space.

If you love spectacular views...

• I wish I could post all of my pictures because of the surreal views of the river meeting the shoreline. 
• The park includes two look-outs. One is located when you first enter the trail and the second is the gazebo spot pictured above. The first place goes out farther than the gazebo and it was most likely a former pier.
• Many couples have been posting on the web about potentially taking wedding pictures around the gazebo and around the trail.  

If you love being by the water...

• This is another great park to take in the Delaware River.  Benches are located in front of the water. So, if you wanted to relax, read a book, or even just listen to music, there are plenty of benches to do so.
• People who love to fish also have plenty of room on the Delaware shoreline.

If you would like to know the setting around the trail...

•  Further off the shore are massive spaces for recreational activities. There were multiple soccer posts and ball fields. 
• People are able to walk their dogs, push their strollers, go on runs, and even bike without getting close to each other.

If you love the law...

• This bullet point is a little joke, but the trail is behind the following law institutions:
• The Curran-Fromohld Correctional Facility
• The Correctional Facility Police Department

• When I went to go visit, you could hear loud booms from the distance which meant the police were practicing at the gun range. 
• Quick tip: The trail is a little difficult to spot off of State Road. You should turn into the the tiny street right before the police academy if you are coming from the city. If you are coming from the opposite way, you are going to make a left right after the police academy!

  

 If you would like to know more about the Delaware River expansion, 

you can click here to read a PlanPhilly.com article about it.

Liberty Lands Park

Liberty Lands Park is a more recent Philadelphia urban park located within the Northern Liberties section. According to the Liberty Lands website, the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association was given a few grants from the Philadelphia Urban Resources Partnership over the years in order to create their ideal community park and it continues to grow. The 2-acre park is the largest green space within the neighborhood.

If you have kids...

• The playground for the children is sizable compared to some of the other larger parks I visited in my list. The playground includes multiple jungle gyms and a swing set. 
• The layout of the park is also designed for parents because most of the seating surrounds the children's playground. 
• Some of the events are for the children, such as Halloween hayrides. 

If you love a sense of community...

• The park was built off of the idea of the community coming together and the park is a representation of their community. 
• On the Neighbors Association website, they offer outside bathroom subscriptions for a key to the two doors. The only way you can enter the bathrooms is if you have a memebership and key. 
• Every sculpture or mural was created by a local artist. 
• The Liberty Lands park site explains that the space acts as a social way to connect and bring together the variety of all residents. Whether is be 'dog owners, parents, gardeners, workers, business owners, and artists
•  There is a community garden that includes the following:
• 37 plots
• Native American herb garden
• butterfly garden

 

If you are environmentally-friendly...

• Not only does the park have a community garden, but they have included a composting area as well. 
• The small city park has over a variety of 180 tree species. 

 If you want to know more about Liberty Lands park, 

click here to read the park's Yelp reviews!