On November 17, a squad of volunteers joined TTF at Tacony

Volunteers clean up in Tacony Creek Park

Creek Park (TCP) at Friends Hospital for a

LOVE Your Park Day Cleanup. LOVE Your Park is a partnership among the Fairmount Park Conservancy (FPC), Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). 

Volunteers collected trash and recyclables along the trails and the creekbed and banks. The GreenTreks Network film crew joined us to interview TTF staff and volunteers about the community impact of PPR and PWD's trail and stream restoration work. Clean waterways and parks encourage positive park use and keep our waterways clean.  

TTF is working to bring you into Tacony Creek Park! Join us on our upcoming Bird walk and contact us to learn more about our TCP efforts from rain gardens to races!     

To learn about more watershed challenges, visit here.

Dottie Baumgarten speaks at Clean Water Partners

Cheltenham Township and TTF met with local businesses last month to provide information about our region's stormwater efforts and how businesses can use simple management practices to reduce excessive water runoff and the pollution it carries. 

Dottie Baumgarten of Sustainable Choices presented this informative, hands-on seminar at Curtis Hall. Participants were awarded a Clean Water Partner decal to let customers know that these businesses care about water issues in our community.

This program is a collaboration among TTF, Cheltenham Township, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, and Sustainable Choices and is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. 

Would you like to host this FREE seminar for your partners or employees? Contact Molly Finch at [email protected] or 215-844-8100. 

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) wants to partner with community stakeholders across the city to develop green stormwater management projects as part of the Green City, Clean Waters program.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) refers to a range of tools such as rain gardens, stormwater tree trenches, stormwater planters and pervious pavement that capture and filter stormwater and allow it to slowly infiltrate into the soil, reducing the amount of runoff and sewer

overflows that pollute our waterways.

PWD is accepting community input on potential green stormwater infrastructure projects at schools, recreation centers, parks, public spaces and parking lots. PWD will also review neighborhood-wide submissions of GSI opportunities. You can learn about the community input process and submit a project suggestion at the link below. Submission does not guarantee that a project will be selected.

For information, visit the Community Input for Green Stormwater Infrastructure page here.

Kelly O'Day joined the TTF Board in June 2012. A retired water resource engineer with over 45 years of experience in all phases of water supply, wastewater, and water

quality planning, he received his BS in sanitary engineering in 1967 and his MS in Environmental Engineering from Drexel University in 1972. He has been a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania since 1972. 

Kelly worked as a consulting engineer in the Philadelphia area for 20 years and directed the five-county Southeastern PA water quality management planning effort for the Department of Environmental Protection in the 1970s. He also worked on the Boston Harbor cleanup project and was director of Water Operations for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, where he was responsible for all phases of water supply for the metropolitan Boston area. Kelly and his wife Paula returned to Philadelphia in 2007.

Kelly is spearheading a TTF effort among key stakeholders to develop a strategic program for monitoring, cleaning, preventing, and communicating about trash in Tacony Creek Park.  

Congratulations to the Department of Parks and Recreation for receiving a mid-year increase in 2013's fiscal year operating budget. 

City Council unanimously approved a much needed operating budget increase of $2.675 million. This is a major step in facing decades of underfunding and maintenance deferment. This feat could not have been accomplished without the support of Mayor Nutter, members of City Council and the community. 

Please note: TTF outdoor events are canceled in the case of heavy rain. Please check the TTF Events calendar for updated information.

Birding in Tacony Creek Park: Get Ready for the Annual Christmas Bird Count

Join us on a walk through Tacony Creek Park to look for birds wintering in Philadelphia. This FREE walk is open to all -- you just need an interest in learning about birds and warm clothing. Expect some good bird spotting (woodpeckers, chickadees, hawks, oh my!) while enjoying lovely undiscovered Tacony Creek Park. This event is a "warm up" for the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), the annual international bird census conducted by the Audubon Society. Donuts, hot cocoa, and binoculars will be provided.

DATE: Saturday, December 8 

TIME: 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

PLACE: Tacony Creek Park, located behind Friends Hospital (4641 Roosevelt Blvd., Philadelphia, 19124)

CONTACT: Molly Finch at [email protected]/215.844.8100 

Branch Out: An Introduction to PHS Tree Tenders® 

Join us to learn about the benefits of trees for your community and how you can become involved in greening efforts! This free program is a special collaboration among the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF), and the Awbury Arboretum Association. A light dinner will be provided.

DATE: Wednesday, December 12

TIME: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

PLACE: Awbury Arboretum,One Awbury Road Philadelphia, PA 19138

CONTACT:  Abby Grosslein at 215.844.8100/[email protected] 

Gift Wrapping at REI 

Stop by the Conshohocken REI, get your holiday shopping done and have your gifts wrapped by TTF staff! 

DATES: Tuesday, December 4  TIME: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.