Wissahickon East Park Small Area Plan
Status: Funded; Planning
Funded by: City of Philadelphia through the Department of Parks & Recreation
Arlene Bennett Park (also known as Wissahickon East Park) was acquired by the City of Philadelphia in 2013 after a lengthy campaign by the Wissahickon East Project, a community group focused on its continued preservation. The property is comprised of six acres of woodlands parallel to the old Reading Railroad right of way south-east of Cresheim Valley Drive. It is accessible via entry at the intersection of Woodbrook Lane and Anderson Street in East Mount Airy. Cresheim Creek, a tributary of Wissahickon Creek, runs through the property.
Using funding provided by the City of Philadelphia, FOW will lead a small area planning process for the newly acquired parcel.
The plan will:
- Identify community goals for the park. Develop a cohesive vision.
- Describe existing conditions and provide a detailed base map which identifies the physical and biological features of the site.
- Provide an assessment of the condition of existing PWD infrastructure (sewer and outfall) at the upper end of the park site and suggest design strategies for rehabilitation.
- Conduct a geomorphic and hydrologic evaluation of the property which identifies critical erosion areas both along the stream channel and on adjacent land.
- Where necessary, develop concept level designs for stream channel stabilization.
- Identify and describe restoration opportunities for upland areas of the park.
- Develop a proposed implementation schedule, indicating the appropriate sequence of development activities.