Handball Court @ 5th & Dauphin Streets Safe Growth Report June 2010 Contributors: Bob Grossmann and Debbie Hall, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Erika Tapp, South Kensington NAC Jennifer Rodríguez, Asociación Puertorriquenos en Marcha Lisa Segarra, Norris Square Civic Association Officers Ramos and Correa, 26th Police District Sarah Sturtevant, LISC

Proxemics: Context is Everything

Eastern North Philadelphia Eastern North Philadelphia, like most parts of the City of Philadelphia outside of Center City, is under-educated. This is a significant impediment to obtaining living wage jobs with growth potential and ultimately curtails the wealth creation and upward mobility potential of households. However, the population of the area is relatively young, which provides an opportunity to develop programs that can produce long-term positive impacts in this

respect. Eastern North Philadelphia is also under-resourced. With many young children and families, the lack of adequate recreational facilities, open space, and enrichment programs has become an increasingly important concern for community members. Although Eastern North Philadelphia must overcome significant challenges, investments made by stakeholders have had visible impact and are fueling its continued transformation. Today, the area could be described as an emerging sustainable community. It is a young, socioeconomically and culturally inclusive community. It is home to the highest concentration of Latinos in the city and is influenced by Temple University on the east and a concentration of artists and young professionals to the south. Furthermore, eastern North Philadelphia is in a premium location, accessible by regional rail, elevated rail, multiple bus lines and a growing network of

bicycle routes. Strong institutions such as APM, Norris Square Civic Association, South Kensington NAC and Temple University also surround it.

The 5th & Dauphin Handball Court The subject of this report is a playground located on North 5th Street that houses a popular handball court. The playground is also the source of concern and criminal activity when it is not in productive use. It is located along 5th Street, the primary north-south connector in North Philadelphia. 5th Street is a mixed-use street with a combination of residential and neighborhood commercial and, as is typical to North Philadelphia, there are vacant parcels; many of them stabilized though the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s (PHS) vacant land stabilization program. Across the street from the handball court there is vacant land that has been converted to a garden accessible to the community. Several public schools are within easy walking distance of the court; Welsh Elementary is the closest one. Seven blocks to the east is the American Street Industrial Corridor. Ownership of the handball court is unclear. According to public records, the handball court sits on several parcels of land, some of which are city owned, some of which have no ownership information publishes. The team has reached out to several city entities to clarify ownership but no conclusive response has been obtained. The Philadelphia Department of Recreation, which would be the natural controlling entity, has no record of the playground. It is believed that a group of community members joined to build the court, funding source is unknown.

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Site Survey: Territoriality, Access Control, Image, and Natural Surveillance The playground stradles 5th and Reese Streets, with the main entrance along 5th Street. The playground is built on several levels, the lowest being where the handball courts sit. A few steps along a narrow gate lead users to the highest level where a paved area with overgrown shade trees and remnants of playground equipment and site furnishings exist.

Territoriality The playground’s hierarchy of space is poorly defined by a chain link fence in fair to poor condition that surrounds the property on all sides. On the 5th Street side, the fence is interrupted, an unsuccessful example defensible space.

Access Control Users can access the playground from two sides: through 5th Street, where there is a large gap in the fencing and through a narrow gate along Reese Street. Two narrow gates that are controlled by the Block Captains can secure the upper level. The lower level, where the courts are located, cannot be controlled due to a large gap in the fencing. The park provides an easy getaway route for criminals and it is not unusual for police to chase suspects across the park.

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Image The playground is in disrepair. Playground equipment and site furnishings are either missing or in poor state. Domino tables are worn and missing chairs; bench frames are missing wood planks; murals are faded and cutouts have graffiti; asphalt is cracked; planting areas neglected; and trees overgrown.

Natural Surveillance The layout provides for very good sightlines, however, overgrown trees cast a permanent shadow in the back of the playground and obstruct views, making it difficult to monitor by community members. Furthermore, the lack of lighting (none exists) attracts illegitimate users at night and even during the day.

Incompatible Land Uses The playground is surrounded by residential properties, some of them with porches that face the park. Across the street on N 5th Street is a well-tended community garden that attracts neighbors.

Movement Predictors The most dangerous place in the playground is the upper level where the possibilities of escape are limited to a single route and the potential for entrapment is high. The large gap in the fencing at the lower lever makes that area safer because it provides more possibilities for escape.

Activity Support The lower level, where the handball court is located, has adequate, albeit rudimentary activity support. There is a wall, the floor is striped and residents make appropriate use of the space. The upper level is not as well supported. Playground equipment is missing and benches and tables are unusable, missing essential parts. Neighbors purposely remove wood planks from the benches to discourage illegitimate activity.

Displacement Lighting, tree running and programming of the upper level (especially at night) would have the greatest impact in the displacement of illegitimate activity.

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Capacity The playground has adequate capacity to support its purpose. In fact there is opportunity to increase its use, particularly in the upper level.

Cohesion There is clear neighborhood interest in the park, evidenced by the handball court’s popularity, the ad hoc beautification efforts, and a recent festival to support the playground. However, these efforts are not formalized and, moreover, the playground’s controlling entity is unknown.

Connectivity The playground is not well connected to outside entities and groups. Although the playground is City-owned, the Recreation Department, which would be the natural controlling entity, does not. The team is researching this issue.

Culture The playground, in a limited manner, expresses the culture of its users through its murals and decorative elements attached to the fencing, which were created with community input.

Recommendations

• Clarify legal ownership of the playground

• Organize park stakeholders into stewardship group such as a “friends of the park”

• Improve safety, image, access control, surveillance, and territoriality through physical improvements

o Lighting o Prune trees o Fencing o Signage o Entrance

• Enhance activity supports o Site furniture o Layout additional activity

areas o Programming activities,

especially in the evening in order to displace illegitimate users

• Identify community and external partners that will help transform the park into a community asset.