A stream and wetland restoration project at a popular park in South Philadelphia is getting a boost with federal money.
$1.5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help fund work in the natural areas of FDR Park.
“The grant will enable us to continue and expand our nature-based programming at FDR and will encourage more visitors to get on the water,” said Jeff Barg, a spokesperson for the Fairmount Park Conservancy, in an emailed statement. “It’s a big deal.”
The nonprofit Fairmount Park Conservancy is spearheading a more than $250 million renovation of FDR Park, which will include new playgrounds, a new welcome center, and new sports fields and courts. Fundraising for the project is ongoing, although construction on some elements has begun.
The money announced Thursday is part of a slate of grants through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, totaling nearly $15 million, for projects in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York.