TTF Watershed to hold ribbon-cutting for “People of the Park” project on Sunday

On Sunday, February 19 at 2:00pm, the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Inc.’s (TTF Watershed) will unveil its latest storytelling project at a public ribbon-cutting ceremony to strengthen community connection and exploration of Tacony Creek Park. 

The “People of the Park” portrait series was creatively directed by Olney Culture Lab of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia and celebrates the stories of diverse community members who enjoy the park and its trails, which is a community portal to the developing 800-mile multi-use Circuit Trails across Greater Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. 

The project includes four interactive portrait signs that highlight community members with unique experiences, each sharing a passion and love of Tacony Creek Park. The signs include a photo and quote that briefly introduce the featured individual. They also have a QR code that leads to a more detailed page on the Tacony Creek Park Keepers website that dives deeper into the individual’s connection with the park in their own words through interviews, images and audio recordings. 

“People of the Park” is a pilot project as part of the Tacony Creek Park Master Site Development Plan, funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. This project was made possible through support from the William Penn Foundation.

About the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF):

The Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF)’s mission is to improve its 30-square mile watershed by collaborating with our municipalities and leading our communities in education, stewardship, restoration, and advocacy. We connect people to their creeks. As part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, TTF has implemented $2.8 million in restoration and green stormwater infrastructure projects in the upstream Tookany Creek watershed with public and private partners. With the support of the Philadelphia Water Department and in collaboration with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, TTF has provided effective outreach, education, program, and stewardship opportunities with numerous partners to bring visitors and resources to Tacony Creek Park since 2011. Accomplishments include a Tacony Creek Park & Trail Map and website; regular nature, health, and history walks; annual block parties and a music and arts festival; a series of beautiful nature murals; a learning trail and gateway improvements, clean-ups and plantings; the Creekmobile, a mobile environmental education center; and sponsorship of a Park friends group.

About the Circuit Trails:

Greater Philadelphia is the proud home of the Circuit Trails, a regional trail network of hundreds of miles of multi-use trails that is growing in size each year. One of America’s largest trail networks, the Circuit currently includes more than 370 miles of completed multi-use trails with a vision of including more than 800 miles of interconnected trails across a nine-county region in Pennsylvania and New Jersey by 2040. Nearly 65 nonprofit organizations, foundations and agencies are working together as part of the Circuit Trails Coalition to advance the completion of the trail network. A premiere regional amenity, the Circuit Trails connect our people to our local communities, providing endless opportunities for recreation and commuting. So whether you bike it, walk it, run it or paddle alongside it, the point is — just enjoy it. Learn more at www.circuittrails.org and connect with the Circuit Trails on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to find out what is happening #OnTheCircuit.

About Olney Culture Lab of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia:

Olney Culture Lab believes that culture can be a catalyst for community development and social change. OCL’s mission is to celebrate cultural assets by designing and producing events and programs that showcase the multitude of diverse cultural expressions found in the greater Olney neighborhood of Philadelphia. By strengthening networks in the community and creating strategic alignment of cultural assets and resources, OCL increases social capital and a sense of civic pride.