Connor Barwin’s Benefit Concert Raised $300,000 for Smith Playground Project

Doing good: @ConnorBarwin98's 2nd annual @MTWBproject concert raised $300k to rebuild an inner-city Philadelphia park pic.twitter.com/hBRjRxeAAr

— Nick Scurfield (@NickScurfield) June 22, 2015

Saturday’s sold out benefit concert at Union Transfer raised a total of $300,000 for Connor Barwin’s foundation, Make The World Better Project. The money will help push MTWB’s plans for an “innovative” revitalization project at Smith Playground at 24th and Jackson in South Philadelphia that much closer to reality.

Urban Roots is a partner in the overall vision of park projects with MTWB and founder Jeffrey Tubbs confirmed the concert raised $150,000, an amount that the Eagles Linebacker matched to bring it to $300,000. The inaugural concert benefitted the project at Ralph Brooks Park at 20th and Tasker in Point Breeze and raised $185,000 in total. Tubbs previously told Property that he anticipated Saturday’s concert, which featured bands Parquet Courts, Canadian rocker Mac Demarco, The Suffers and Philly’s own Marian Hill, to raise around $200,000–needless to say, it was a success.

The partnership has ambitious plans for Smith Playground, a 7.5-acre Parks and Recreation facility in South Philadelphia, including major stormwater management infrastructure from the Philadelphia Water Department, solar-paneled shade structures for the basketball courts, a high-tech surface on the football fields, a fitness trail and even a rejuvenated rec center, complete with a new kitchen for healthy cooking classes.

Here is a look at some early designs:

The upcoming plans for Smith Playground | via Urban Roots

• It’s Full Steam Ahead at Two Game-Changing Park Projects in South Philly [Property]

• Go Team! Connor Barwin’s benefit show helps Make the World Better [The Key – WXPN]