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Geary Park Renovation Project

September 28, 2021

The Sports Complex Special Services District (SCSSD) has been working on a renovation project for the City-owned Geary Park, located at the southeast corner of S. Broad & Geary Streets. We are happy to share some exciting details on the upcoming transformation of Geary Park.

In review, SCSSD’s planning process to renovate Geary Park has been a long one, which first began with an onsite community meeting with neighbors in 2018 to survey their feedback on the Park’s current condition and potential use. SCSSD used comments received by neighbors to help steer the design process. Priority feedback included a need for more lighting (both security and aesthetic), opening the Park by removing fencing to eliminate the illegal and dangerous off-leash dog activity, and creating a more welcoming, yet passive space, with beautiful gardens and attractive landscape to enjoy.

SCSSD’s landscape consultant, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Urban Design Team, developed a new Park that features a strolling garden concept with various brick walking paths, new site furnishings, a nature grove, and numerous colorful flowering gardens and trees.

The design also includes an extensive lighting plan with security (pole lights) and aesthetic lighting (tree uplights and downlights). Currently, there is not a single light located inside Geary Park! One exciting feature of the new lighting is that it will include programmable color-changing LED technology, which will allow accent lights to tastefully display colors for holidays, and Phillies, Eagles, Sixers, and Flyers gamedays!

SCSSD has committed a significant private investment to construct this project, as well as the ongoing future maintenance costs. SCSSD and PHS continue to coordinate project efforts with the City Streets Department, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, SEPTA, and most significantly, the elected SCSSD District 1 Community Director and Alternate Director.

The project is currently under construction, with hopeful completion by end of the year 2021, or possible in early 2022, depending on the seasonal timing for plant installations.

Questions? Please contact the SCSSD office at (215) 271-1701.