An historic opportunity to protect and revitalize Philadelphia’s parks and recreation was ushered in last November when citizens overwhelmingly voted in favor of amending the City Charter to create a new Department of Parks and Recreation and a new Commission.  One of the main responsibilities of the new Commission on Parks and Recreation, as mandated by the Charter referendum, will be to, for the first time ever, adopt standards and guidelines for the conveyance and acquisition of park and recreation land and facilities.  

The Philadelphia Parks Alliance, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture), are facilitating July’s Urban Sustainability Forum, Parkland Use & Protection: Striking the Right Balance, to advance the discussion and thinking about parkland use in Philadelphia. We have invited panelists, Zari Santner, Director of Portland Parks & Recreation, and Lucie Springmeyer, Executive Director of Forest Park Forever (St. Louis), to share how their cities have approached the issue of parkland use and protection and the lessons they have learned.  Michael DiBerardinis, Commissioner of Philadelphia’s new Department of Parks and Recreation, will join the panel.  Together we will explore how Philadelphia’s history and present situation can inform our future guidelines and possibilities.  

Speakers:
Zari Santner, Director, Portland Parks & Recreation
Lucie Springmeyer, Executive Director, Forest Park Forever, St. Louis
Michael DiBerardinis, Commissioner, Department of Parks & Recreation, Philadelphia
Moderated by: Graham Finney, Public Policy Chair of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance

Thursday, July 16, 2009
Philadelphia Urban Sustainability Forum
@ The Academy of Natural Sciences

6:00-6:30 p.m. – Reception
6:30-8:30 p.m. – Forum
     
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP requested.