City and state officials joined West Philadelphia residents to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Johnny Sample (Cobbs Creek) Recreation Center, celebrating the completion of a major $15 million transformation.

Located at 250 Cobbs Creek Parkway, the recreation center has long served as an essential anchor for sports, youth programming, and neighborhood gatherings. This extensive overhaul elevates the facility into a modern, accessible hub for all ages.

Designed by SITIO Architecture + Urbanism, the comprehensive renovation features a blend of newly constructed spaces and refreshed interior facilities:

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City officials and community members gathered Friday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the $4.5 million revitalization of the West Mill Creek playground and plaza located at 5100 Parrish St.. Completed in just six months, the community-driven project transforms a historically neglected space into a safer, greener public hub just in time for summer.

Funded primarily through the City’s Rebuild initiative (supported by the Philadelphia Beverage Tax), the project also received a $600,000 state grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account program and a $500,000 contribution from 3rd District Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. Continue Reading

Rebuild Philadelphia has kicked off another public space renovation and transformation project in West Philadelphia. On Thursday, Rebuild, city officials, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, and community members gathered at 51st and Parrish to break ground on the West Mill Creek Playground and Plaza.

The project is part of a $4.5 million investment through the city’s Rebuild program, supported by a $600,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account program and $500,000 from Councilmember Jaime Gauthier (3rd District) through the Improvement to Existing Facilities (ITEF) program.

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Volunteers at work at the site of the Johnny Sample (Cobbs Creek) Recreation Center, which is undergoing renovation.

City officials, community organizations, and residents gathered Friday at Johnny Sample (Cobbs Creek) Recreation Center in West Philadelphia for a Community Planting Day, which included a preview of the nearly completed $15 million facility renovation before its official opening in the fall. The event brought together Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Rebuild Philadelphia, and community volunteers to plant 2,000 native species and enhance green spaces on the grounds of the recreation center.

Led by Fairmount Park Conservancy, volunteers added native plants to the renovated recreation center’s landscape. More greenery and connection between the recreation center and the park’s natural environment were key priorities identified during the project’s community engagement phase.

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The Kingsessing Library is officially open after a major renovation. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Thursday afternoon and included City officials, Rebuild Philadelphia, The Free Library of Philadelphia, and community members.

The celebration marked the completion of the newly renovated library, an $8 million project made possible by the City’s Rebuild initiative, a historic investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in neighborhood parks, recreation centers, and libraries across Philadelphia.

The century-old Kingsessing Library has been updated with:

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Shepard Recreation Center is another West Philly public space that will be renovated thanks to the City’s Rebuild program. (Photo courtesy of Rebuild PHL).

Rebuild Philadelphia, the City’s program that invests in public spaces, will break ground on a renovation project at century-old Shepard Recreation Center located at 57th and Haverford. This is the latest in a series of renovation projects at local recreation centers, public libraries and playgrounds implemented through this program.

The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 27, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Community members are welcome to attend.

The $17 million Shepard Rec transformation project will bring major renovations, including:

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