Connor Barwin, Mayor Nutter Dedicate Ralph Brooks Park in Point Breeze

Connor Barwin speaks at the Ralph Brooks Park dedication ceremony. | Photo by HughE Dillon

Connor Barwin’s Make the World Better Foundation‘s first major initiative in Philadelphia was dedicated yesterday afternoon in Point Breeze. The new Ralph Brooks Park at 20th and Tasker streets was a collaborative project with urban development non-profit Urban Roots, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Mural Arts and many more. The area now boasts a full-size basketball court, a state-of-the-art playground, a community garden that will produce fresh vegetables for the neighborhood, and a fresh new work from “Love Letters” muralist Steve Powers.

Mural Arts Executive Director Jane Golden and muralist Steve Powers.

Barwin got involved in the project after noticing the downtrodden park while riding his bike to Eagles practices last year. He reached out to community organizers, who were already planning for a revitalization for the park. They welcomed Barwin’s assistance.

Yesterday, the park got its official ribbon-cutting in a special ceremony that involved Barwin, Mayor Nutter and other’s involved in the project. Besides dignitaries, the day saw community members coming out to test the basketball courts and browse the gardens.

Our sister blog Property has covered the Park’s revitalization extensively. Check out there coverage here, and our photos of yesterday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony below.

HughE Dillon

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson greets the crowd and talks about how the newly renovated park will bring the neighborhood together, and how it's the neighborhood's responsibility to keep the park up.

HughE Dillon

Mayor Nutter tells the crowd that his parents were from South Philly, so he has a special connection to the Ralph Brooks Park.

HughE Dillon

Mayor Nutter thanks Connor Barwin for all the work he's done on the Ralph Brooks Park.

HughE Dillon

Mural Arts Executive Director Jane Golden talks about what a mural does for a neighborhood. How it beautifies and connects past, present and future generations.

HughE Dillon

Claire Laver, from Urban Roots, helped keep the various organizations connected to one another throughout the project.

HughE Dillon

Mayor Nutter and other dignitaries and community members cut the ribbon.

HughE Dillon

Catherine Kendig, Aelux, LLC, Sally McCabe, PHS, and Etienne Melcher, Senior Child Nutrition Program Coordinator at Food Research and Action Center, talk about the new community garden, which brings fresh produce to the community. Water collected at the newly renovated park across the street will be used to hydrate the plants in the garden.

HughE Dillon

Neighborhood guys checking out the new basketball courts at Ralph Brooks Park.