Revitalizing Hunting Park

Fairmount Park Conservancy

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Comcast Cares Day at Hunting Park

Revitalizing Hunting Park

Hunting Park is an 87-acre recreational park in eastern North Philadelphia which possesses a wide variety of recreational and cultural amenities.

  • In October 2009, the Conservancy publicly unveiled a Master Plan to revitalize Hunting Park.  The project team was led by Wells Appel and included Mark B. Thompson Associates, CH Planning and Becker & Frondorf.  To view the Executive Summary please click here.

  • The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Philadelphia Green conducted a robust community engagement process during the development of the Master Plan which included public meetings and focus groups.  The community-based advisory group for the Master Plan has evolved into Hunting Park United.  This park friends group consists of dedicated individuals from the Hunting Park neighborhood whose goal is to bolster park stewardship and to reclaim their section of Fairmount Park for the community.  To learn more about the group and their volunteer activities click here. The Master Plan identified capital improvements, new amenities, enhanced programming for local youth, and safety recommendations that once implemented will transform Hunting Park into a significant resource for the health and welfare of the neighborhood.

Historic Hunting Park was once part of the estate of William Penn’s secretary, James Logan. The Logan house was built in 1795 by James Logan’s grandson, George, and still stands in the Park’s southeast corner.  In the early 19th century the Park served as the country’s first horse racing track, until it was converted into a 45-acre “pleasure ground” in 1856.

  • The Master Plan was funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Comcast, Patricia Kind and PECO.
  • The Ryan Howard Family Foundation and Citizens Bank have extended their support in kicking off Phase One of the Master Plan by contributing to the restoration of the park’s baseball field.
  • Hunting Park will also be the focus of the Conservancy’s Seventh Annual Growing the Neighborhood program in 2010.  This program is funded by ACE Group, NovaCare Rehabilitation, PRWT Services, Inc., U.S. Facilities, Inc. and The Albert J. Lofgren & Antoinette Farrar Seymour Donor-Advised Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation. 
  • The Fairmount Park Conservancy is actively seeking funding for the Hunting Park Revitalization project.