Crews have worked quickly to remove several acres of trees to make way for new artificial turf athletic fields at FDR Park.
The removal of trees comes after a Court of Common Pleas judge decided the court did not have jurisdiction to hear a lawsuit by residents opposing the project.
“The City of Philadelphia is tearing down 441 trees at FDR Park,” said Green Party of Pennsylvania Steering Committee Member Alex Casper. “Many of them are heritage trees, sacred to the Lenni Lenape people. The city wants to make room for 16 artificial-turf soccer fields to host the FIFA World Cup. I myself go bird watching at FDR Park ever since I used to live in Point Breeze. The meadows and habitats within them are home to red-winged black birds, gray catbirds, red cardinals, tree swallows, etc. Destroying these habitats takes away a vital home for wildlife. I have urged our state and local Green Parties to sign on to the demand that the mayor protect these sacred trees and our cities best habitats.”
The Green Party of Pennsylvania Steering Committee endorsed a public letter to Mayor Cherelle Parker requesting that she end the slaughter of heritage trees in the park.
Joining Green Party of PA in opposing the demolition is Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, EnviroPhilly, Green Party of Philadelphia, LandHealth Institute, Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, Monarch Defenders, Save The Meadows, SEAMAAC Inc., Sunrise Movement Philadelphia, PennEnvironment, Philly DSA, Philly Thrive and Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania.
Other neighborhood and civic groups are also voicing displeasure in the removal of trees.
“Our community is adjacent to our beloved FDR Park,” said Barbara Capozzi, Packer Park Civic Association. “Fairmount Park Conservancy has said that the new fields are for neighborhood children. This is total deception on the part of these hypocrites. Attracting out-of-town tournament play has always been the priority under the subterfuge of the Master Plan. Drawing out-of-town tournaments will bring in huge tourism bucks but will destroy the beautiful park that so many thousands of people love.”
Capozzi said traffic concerns and field participation preferences are a big reason for her group’s disapproval of the fields.
“Our community already has to bear the traffic congestion from the exploding and increasingly popular Sports Complex,” Capozzi said. “Now the city wants Packer Park and all of lower South Philadelphia to also bear the burden of the extra traffic from 12–18 ballfields, a host of basketball and tennis/pickleball courts and much more on the west side of the park. We have repeatedly asked for written assurance that the new fields will first benefit the youth teams and Latino soccer that currently play at FDR Park. Despite many, many requests, again as recently as last week, we have only lip service and nothing in writing that gives priority to our local kids and current park users.”
It is estimated that 40 heritage trees have already been removed this week.
“This phase of the project has already cost us 40 heritage trees that can’t be replaced in our lifetimes,” said Avigail Milder of Save the Meadows. “It will harm our health, our children’s health, our city’s health. And cost us millions of dollars, when nature has given us something so much better for free.”
A written response from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department was sent to Fox 29.
“The City and Fairmount Park Conservancy went through the proper channels to remove trees in FDR Park,” the department stated. “After two court procedures significantly delayed the start of work, the recent decision of the Orphans Court to remove the stay means the City could proceed with removing the trees as planned. Removing the trees is a necessary first step for the Picnic & Play phase of revitalizing FDR Park. This is a crucial element of the FDR Park Plan, which will resolve the persistent flooding that threatens to take over the park in a matter of decades and will also address the serious inequity of playable fields in Philadelphia. FDR Park’s size and location offer a unique opportunity to redefine what an urban park can be, by further integrating recreation with natural lands, planting tens of thousands of native trees and plants, and giving park users a wealth of activities and amenities all in one place. This reimagining of FDR Park is part of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s vision for a safer, cleaner, greener Philadelphia with access to economic opportunity for all.”
