Pocket Parks Fight Urban Decay, Crime

Francisville, a small neighborhood in Philadelphia that has been plagued with abandoned properties, is creating small “pocket parks” to fight urban decay. These vacant lots were blighted and had become a magnet for crime, and local residents knew that development and growth would not happen if the lots were left unattended. The Francisville Neighborhood Development Corp therefore decided to address this issue by “cleaning and greening” the vacant lots to make the neighborhood safer, cleaner and more attractive to developers. The work is being done by FNDC employees and a team of resident volunteers. Projects have included an orchard, a senior garden, two small pocket parks, and Ogden Park, previously 10 separate lots that have been cleaned up and formed into one larger park. The work of this neighborhood revitalization team is having a positive impact on home sales nearby.