Philadelphia may lose its world-famous skateboarding landmark with the renovation of its LOVE Park plaza, flaring a decade-old debate that has made international headlines.
Philadelphia's LOVE Park, a dead plaza in the 1980s, was brought back to life by skateboarding, transforming this downtown plaza into an international hub of a multi-billion-dollar sport. When the City enforced a skateboarding ban back in 2002, a coalition of advocates raised over $1 million, gained 10,000 petition signatures from 40 nations, and editorials in the city's major daily newspapers in support of re-opening the park to skateboarding.
Because of LOVE Park, Philadelphia hosted the X Games two years in a row and was home to some of the nation's top professional skateboarders. However, City government turned down a $1 million from California-based DC Shoes to reopen the park to skateboarding. The city is now moving ahead on renovating the plaza to discourage skateboarding. The issue is at the heart of a larger debate around the acceptability of skateboarding as part of a mixed-use urban environment.
Thanks to Greg Heller
FULL STORY: Philadelphia has one last chance for skateboarding at LOVE Park
Skateboarding Is Good for Cities, But Some Cities Don't Realize It
Some cities treat skateboarders like a plague, and that's a planning faux pas, according to this article.
Review: Philadelphia's Iconic Love Park Gets a Major Makeover
Architecture Critic Inga Saffron gives a less-than-stellar review of the newly revealed revamp of Philadelphia's Love Park.
Details Emerge for Philadelphia's LOVE Park Redo
One of the country's most scrutinized and anticipated renovation projects, Philadelphia's LOVE Park, has been unveiling critical design decisions in recent weeks.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service