$30 million project underway to create new 33-acre wetlands at FDR Park
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Restoring nature and opening it up to exploration. That is the plan in South Philadelphia.
FDR Park is already a popular spot down by the stadium complex, but now, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation is teaming up with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and the Philadelphia International Airport to create a new 33-acre wetland that will help with flooding and enhance the ecosystem.
"Before South Philadelphia was fully developed, this entire area was wetlands," Maura McCarthy, executive director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, said. "And over the course of redevelopment, much of the natural waterways and features have been lost. So this is an incredibly exciting development that is going to have tremendous environmental returns for everybody in South Philadelphia."
The project will cost $30 million.
There will also be kayak and canoe launches, boardwalks for exploring, a playground and more.
Work will most likely last into 2026.