Set the record straight. Tell DEP: The City didn’t inform us about these changes to FDR Park
PADEP, Southeast Regional Office Waterway and Wetlands
Once again, the City of Philadelphia is misrepresenting its interactions with the public about the FDR Park Plan. Now it’s telling the Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) that it “informed the surrounding community” about its application for a permit to destroy 70 more acres of the park.
But the City didn’t inform you, did it?
We need you — especially if you live in zip codes 19145, 19148, 19153, or 19112 — to sign on to the letter below, calling out the City’s failure to inform the community.
What the City didn’t tell you: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is asking DEP for a permit for its "Nature Phase" in the FDR Park Meadows. This permit would allow the City and the Fairmount Park Conservancy to destroy most of what’s left of the Meadows, to dredge and channelize Shedbrook Creek for a "kayak and canoe experience," to fill wetlands, and ultimately to elevate large sections of the park so that toxic artificial turf fields can be installed. As soon as early September, the DEP will either grant the permit, deny it, or issue another deficiency letter requiring changes.
We already teamed up with other groups and experts and sent a powerful, well researched explanation of why the application for a permit should be denied. Read it here.
Now we’re asking you to add your name to this letter about the City’s false claim that it informed the community. We sent the letter to the DEP on Aug 28, 2025, but please add your name in case we need to use it again.
A big thank you from the Save The Meadows team!
Sponsored by
To:
PADEP, Southeast Regional Office Waterway and Wetlands
From:
[Your Name]
We are residents of Philadelphia and users of FDR Park. We understand that the City of Philadelphia's Parks & Recreation Dept (PPR) is applying for a permit for its "Nature Phase" (DEP File No. E5101224-007).
We agree with the comments submitted on August 11, 2025 by a number of community and environmental groups, especially as regards community consultation.
In its application, PPR claims that it "informed the surrounding community prior to submitting the application to the Department" through "community meetings." But PPR never informed us of or invited us to any community meetings where this application was discussed, or where the changes described in the application as the "Nature Phase" were explained in any detail.
Although the FDR Park Plan has been publicized by PPR’s partner, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, online and at various events, that Plan differs significantly from the application. Most notably, the Plan shows artificial turf athletic fields where the application says there will be "border meadows" with "native plant communities." Either PPR and the Conservancy are deceiving the public or they are deceiving you.
PPR also claims in its application that it "addressed community concerns that were identified." But it does not describe the community concerns that have been expressed and not addressed as the application form requests. There are many such concerns. They include clearcutting hundreds of trees, dredging and channelizing Shedbrook Creek, filling wetlands and elevating large areas to install artificial turf athletic fields. These concerns have been expressed time and time again, with no response from PPR.
We were not informed and our concerns were not addressed. PPR makes claims in its application that are simply untrue. We urge you to deny this permit.
Sincerely,
[the undersigned]