Nonprofit to restore Rittenhouse Square with $500,000 restoration project
There are 22 sections of lawn which will be tackled over four to five years.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The grass may not always be greener on the other side, but the nonprofit Friends of Rittenhouse Square is working to ensure it is.
The park's lawn is getting replaced for the first time in 20 years, which will transform its current pockets of dust back into a lush lawn.
Barren patches of dirt currently pack the iconic Philadelphia park.
The dust bowls were carved out during the pandemic when droves of people sought out a green space outdoors.
During that difficult time, the park became a lifeline for city dwellers.
"This was a dust bowl, there was no grass here, and every time the wind blew, all of it was dust," said Douglas Blonsky, board vice president of operations of the Friends of Rittenhouse.
Now, work has started to sprout lush lawns from the park's barren patches.
"It's really digging up everything to get the air down there, and this is what people can expect for the next four to five years. One section at a time," said Blonsky.
There are 22 sections of lawn to be exact, which will be tackled over four to five years.
"We know that it's really important that people have access to the square throughout the season," said Executive Director June Armstrong.
That's why the project will be completed in stages, so the park remains accessible to the public. Crews will start the process by laying down sod, then having some spots aerated.
The project will cost $500,000, with almost half of the money coming from a state grant. The rest is being matched or still being raised, officials say.
In 2022, 145 park benches were replaced, and right now, concrete restoration work is also taking place.
"We always want to make sure that there's someplace to walk your dog, have a picnic, play with your friends and kids. It's really important that the square stays open. While we do this really important work," Armstrong said.
The Friends of Rittenhouse says they received a grant from the Knight Foundation, but are also in the process of raising more funds to offset the remaining balance.
