Organization and community: Fairmount Park Conservancy (Philadelphia, PA)

Ep.3 - The John Coltrane Walk from Fairmount Park Conservancy on Vimeo.

Celebrating John Coltrane

In 2017, Fairmount Park Conservancy participated in Philadelphia Jazz Project’s annual celebration of John Coltrane by co-hosting two events in Fairmount Park: a free screening of Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary, and a jazz walk starting at Mander Recreation Center, stopping at Coltrane House, and ending at Hatfield House.

The time that Coltrane resided in Strawberry Mansion were critical years in his life and career, shaping a legacy that still holds an incredible significance in the neighborhood today. It was at his house on 1511 North 33rd Street, directly across from Fairmount Park, and where he lived with his mother, his aunt, and his cousin between 1952 and 1958, that he overcame addiction and began to develop the sound for which he would become internationally renowned. The goals of these events were to ensure that Coltrane’s incredible music lives on and that more people learn about and become inspired by the potential for the Coltrane House to function as more than just a landmark, but also as a place of education, celebration, and tribute to John Coltrane and the Philadelphia jazz community.

Meadow Mansions

In 2016, Fairmount Park Conservancy commissioned 12 artists to create birdhouses to raise awareness of the importance of meadows as an urban ecosystem, and their importance in natural lands restoration. Meadows, critical for groundwater recharging and habitat creation, attract several species that nest in Fairmount Park. Built for these species, the birdhouses are now installed throughout the park. A newly issued map and a series of guided bike rides enable the organization to share these creations with its members and the public.