About Us

The Schuylkill River Park Community Garden (SRPCG), located at about 25th and Spruce, contains around 70 plots that range in size from 10’ x 10’ to 10’ x 20’. The land is owned by the City of Philadelphia / Fairmount Park Commission and leased to the Center City Residents' Association (CCRA), which manages the garden through a steering committee comprised of current gardeners. In addition to tending their plots, gardeners are responsible for attending two work days per season and assisting with a public maintenance task.

SRPCG, started in 1982, stands on land that was initially very unpromising for a park and garden: the Kelly brickyard and old B&O Railroad Sidings. Originally, the B&O railroad station, underneath the Walnut Street Bridge, provided passenger service from Philadelphia to NYC. In 1982, pioneer gardeners staked out their plots, dug out rocks and construction debris, added large amounts of compost and top soil, and filled 55 gallon drums with water from the fire hydrant across 25th Street.

In 1988, thanks to the vision and hard work of many CCRA members, the support of Park Commissioner Ernesta Ballard, the advocacy of landscape architect John Collins, and funds from the City of Philadelphia / Fairmount Park Commission, a larger area was developed into the beautiful SRPCG as part of the recently completed Schuylkill River Park.

In January 2007, the garden officially became part of the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens.  We were nominated by the Weeders' Chapter of the Garden Club of America for inclusion and at that time more than 300 other gardens were being considered out of which only approximately 30 were chosen.