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Before the establishment
of Lower Mill Creek Garden, the lot was abandoned and in disrepair with
fractured sidewalks and the concrete remnants of an apartment building. Because most of the surface of the parcel was impervious, the property
was contributing to the area’s recurrent combined sewer system overflow
problem.
Though originally
conceived by
University of the Sciences of Philadelphia (USP) to be an adjacent
niche park complementary to Clark Park, the institution began to
envision more than just the reclamation of a vacant urban lot. University of the Sciences of Philadelphia and partners implemented
stormwater best management practices (BMPs) as they reclaimed the
half-acre site. By using these stormwater management techniques, a type
of low impact development, costly and technically complicated
underground storage tanks were avoided. The detention and infiltration
of stormwater is collected from approximately 1,200 square feet of roof
area, diverting the water from the overflow sewer system.
By using grading
techniques at the lowest portion of the site a 3-4 foot wide and 44 foot
long swale, or infiltration trench, was constructed to direct stormwater
into a bioretention basin. Native plants including grasses, perennials,
trees and shrubs were planted within the basin, which is 2.5 feet deep
and measures 600 square feet in area. For a list of native plants,
click
here. Native plant species help block and absorb stormwater runoff while they
also remove pollutants, absorbing them before they are able to enter
ground water. The wetland is constructed to detain water long enough to
divert it from the sewer system.
Despite a city ordinance
requiring brick paving to be underlain with cement, a permeable sidewalk
was constructed as an exception with government approval in order for
rainwater to effectively infiltrate the ground. Gravel and woodchip
paths meandering through the garden also allow for the permeability of
stormwater. Rain barrels were also installed to store stormwater on
site, and irrigation is conducted using conserved water. For a
site plan, click
here.
The
grand opening of Lower Mill Creek Garden occurred on May 11, 2006. The
park has wetland, meadow, and wooded areas, which are introduced to the
visitor by interpretive signs. The educational component of this
project is supported by the addition of an outdoor classroom within the
garden. University of the Sciences’ students in Science Teacher
Certification as well as students in the biological sciences program
developed educational materials focusing on the education of pre-teens. Educational activity instructions were prepared for teachers, including
field guides on wildflowers, tree and shrubs, wildlife certification,
stormwater management, and information on watersheds. USP is planning on
applying to get National Wildlife Certification as a “Backyard Habitat.”
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County:
Philadelphia
Watershed:
Schuylkill River
Lower
Mill Creek Garden is found within the Mill Creek Watershed, the focus of
an overarching plan involving local community groups and educational
institutions aimed at creating a greenway in West Philadelphia. The
Historic Mill Creek Trail Project, spearheaded by the Philadelphia Water
Department, consists of about a dozen West Philadelphia projects, and
includes Lower Mill Creek Garden. The parcel was purchased back in 2001
by University of the Sciences of Philadelphia (USP) and is located just
north of the campus across the street from Clark Park at the
intersection of 43rd Street and Chester Avenue in West
Philadelphia.
View
TVSSI BMPs in a larger map
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Total Project Cost:
$113,000
Wright-Cook Foundation: $10,000
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen’s Education Fund: $3,800
Wal-Mart: $500
USP contributions for sidewalk & fence installation, landscape grading,
signage, labor & other miscellaneous items total approximately $60,000.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener
Grant: $38,800
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Mary Kate McGinty
(administrator)
Assistant Vice President
Executive Affairs
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
600 South 43rd Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19104
215-596-8719
m.mcgint@usip.edu
Stephen McCoubrey
(landscape designer)
Landscape Design
229 S. 42nd Street
Philadelphia, PA
215-387-0454
smccou@verizon.net |
