When members of a community task force were asked what made Hagert Street Playground an unsuccessful space, they describes it as “uninviting and dull… not for all ages… no shade, too hot.”
Indeed, this small, mid block playground in East Kensington is neat and functional, but a bit bleak. It is entirely paved with two clusters of play equipment, a spray pool, and a basket ball court demarcated by a T-shaped pathway. Aside from a couple of slender trees, a small pavilion between the play areas offers the only respite from the sun.
The East Kensington Neighbors Association and a subcommittee focused on the playground asked the Collaborative to help them develop a conceptual design for renovating Hagert Street Playground. Along with the concerns above, the task force shared their hopes for the park: “more nature… picnic tables… a multi-use sports space… color!” Given a small space and big needs, they took dogs and a structure for permanent performances out of the design equation. And everyone agreed that they wanted the playground to feel safe.
A hydrological analysis by the Collaborative design team showed how renovations could have another community benefit—better stormwater management.
The conceptual design’s major stroke is to pull back the fencing now surrounding the entire playground to create two sitting areas, one for each street front. On Hagert Street, there will be a planting bed, benches, and a cluster of boulders for informal seating. On Boston Street, there will be picnic tables and a double row of trees, include a row planted in a stormwater tree trench.
The playground’s more active interior will remain fenced, protected by swing gates that can be closed after hours. Play areas will be divided into a big kid and toddler areas, each enclosed by rain gardens.
East Kensington expects to get another boost in greening and stormwater management just a few blocks south, where the Collaborative is currently working on a schoolyard greening project in partnership with Friends of Horatio B. Hackett Elementary and New Kensington CDC through the Philadelphia Water Department Green Schools Initiative.
Design Grantee East Kensington Neighbors Association/Friends of Hagert Street Playground
Volunteers Joshua McFarland, Landscape Architectural Designer
1234 Site Design, Firm Volunteer Nobuki Iijima, Registered Landscape Architect
Daniel Nichols. Landscape Architectural Designer
International Consultants, Inc., Firm Volunteer
Michael Funk, Cost Estimator