Knight Foundation Press Release
New Investment Puts Neighbors at the Center of the Rail Park’s Community Development Plans
PHILADELPHIA —
Friends of the Rail Park (FRP) is excited to announce an expanded partnership with the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation through a $500,000 grant to launch the Rail Park's new Community First Plan (CFP). With Knight Foundation’s support, the CFP will strengthen connections among stakeholders committed to resident-led development and the long-term activation of public spaces for small businesses, education, recreation, creativity, and greening.
“Friends of the Rail Park is grateful to Knight Foundation for their support in developing strategies that connect the Rail Park to broader community and neighborhood development goals and allow FRP to ensure that all have access to opportunities generated by the Rail Park,” says Rebecca Cordes Chan, Executive Director of FRP. “We look forward to maintaining and growing this collaborative partnership for years to come.”
Through the CFP, residents and community organizations will collaborate with the Rail Park to develop actionable strategies that enhance overall well-being and economic mobility for individuals and small businesses surrounding the park. This comprehensive plan will prioritize the Rail Park’s effects on affordable housing, support small business activation, workforce development, and overall sustainability.
Phase One of the Rail Park opened in 2018 and work continues to fulfill the full vision for the park consisting of three unique sections: The Viaduct, The Cut, and The Tunnel. The completed project will reach from Northern Liberties to Brewerytown, a continuous greenway, filled with pathways and plants, that connects 10+ neighborhoods over a three-mile stretch of abandoned railroad tracks.
“The Rail Park is a powerful connector—linking 10 neighborhoods to opportunity and growth,” said John Churchill, Philadelphia Program Director at Knight Foundation. "The Community First Plan is key to centering residents’ needs and strengthening the park’s role in advancing, economic mobility, neighborhood vitality, and community health."
The CFP’s work builds off the comprehensive visioning feasibility study in 2023 that unveiled a blueprint for a green oasis twice the size of New York City’s High Line. FRP will collaborate closely with community stakeholders, development experts, and representatives from more than 10 neighborhoods surrounding the park site to ensure the plan reflects the needs and aspirations of the communities it serves.
FRP is seeking consultants … Furthering their dedication and commitment to collaboration, FRP has issued a Request for Proposals. They are seeking consultants to create a Rail Park Community First Plan to link developments of the park to broader community and neighborhood development goals that continue building towards a shared vision for the Rail Park. Click here.
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Friends of the Rail Park
Friends of the Rail Park is a 501(c)(3) organization responsible for stewarding the 3-Mile Vision of The Rail Park, a linear park built on historic rail lines traversing 10+ neighborhoods in Philadelphia, connecting residents to the city and each other. It is a part of the Highline Network, which supports a community of infrastructure reuse projects and the people who are helping them come to life in creating vibrant and equitable public spaces.
