Changing Skyline: Philadelphia has long been cheap when it comes to parks

Inga Saffron

is an Inquirer staff writer

How often have you heard people proudly call Philadelphia a "greene country towne," quoting William Penn's evocative description of the city he founded? Along with "City of Brotherly Love" - another catchy Penn coinage - the phrase ranks as the granddaddy of all municipal brands, predating "Big Apple" and "Big Easy" by almost three centuries. Penn didn't just talk the talk. When he laid out the street grid, he gave Philadelphia the gift of five public squares.

Yet it would be wrong to assume from this history that Penn instilled Philadelphia with a commitment to public space. From the city's earliest days, its parks have been underfunded and underappreciated. Instead of valuing them as places for leisurely enjoyment, Philadelphia has too often treated its parks as workhorses that can be harnessed to practical municipal goals, especially economic development. Philadelphia's beautiful parks have continually defended themselves against private interests, parochial concerns, and municipal parsimony in a never-ending struggle for survival.

While Penn envisioned Philadelphia as a lush American Eden, he was, at his core, a real estate developer - among America's first. He recognized that the inclusion of open space could help make his urban experiment more appealing to buyers. The five squares were useful because they helped relieve the regularity of Philadelphia's street grid, while increasing the value of nearby house lots. But deep down, Penn didn't really like the idea of parks.

As historian Elizabeth Milroy has noted, as a young man Penn had written articles warning of the ungodly temptations of public gardens. Meditative strolls had their place, he acknowledged, but such unproductive fun as "bowling greens, Hors races . . . and such like Sports" was to be avoided at all cost. Ultimately, Penn's need to move real estate overrode his moral reservations. That pragmatic approach has informed the city's attitude toward its parks ever since.