Preserving a Breathing Monument: The Reimagining of Joseph E. Mander Playground and Recreation Center
by Julia Marchetti, 2019-2020 Division Scholar
In 2018, the Fairmount Park Conservancy led a master-planning process for the reimagining of the Joseph E. Mander Playground and Recreation Center. This highly interdisciplinary and community-led project became a movement, leveraging community knowledge in a way that celebrated the past while preserving and honoring the culture still thriving in Strawberry Mansion today.
Situated in North Philadelphia, the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood is home to cultural assets such as the John Coltrane House, and Fairmount Park. Celebrated for its historical and architectural significance, the namesake of the neighborhood, Historic Strawberry Mansion, is one of the largest and grandest homes in the park. While the nearly 100% African American Strawberry Mansion is a place of vibrancy and activism, it also has a history of disinvestment, poverty, and violence. The current struggles of the community are now exacerbated by signs of gentrification. Sandwiched between the rapidly changing neighborhoods of East Falls and Brewerytown, Strawberry Mansion has witnessed an uptick in predatory advertising announcing cash for homes. Thus, preserving community in Strawberry Mansion is more important now than ever.
For community to be sustained in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, significant places like the Joseph E. Mander Playground and Recreation Center should be celebrated and preserved. This recreation center serves as one of the only monuments to an African American individual in the park. Opened in 1962, it stands as a testament to a heroic man who perished after jumping into the Schuylkill River in an attempt to save a drowning Jewish boy. Although both tragically died in the incident, his name was retained for use at this site, though the memory of his heroics was buried for many years. Quite aptly, Sarah E. Wright’s 1952 poem, “To Some Millions Who Survive Joseph E. Mander” asks,
“Cannot a monument that breathes be built? A grateful people
are bigger than all the tall piled stones In our wide and waiting
world; A grateful people are wise When their living grows into
a growing monument. And I ask, Will not a monument breathe for Mander? Spring out of the hearts of people who Have grown
wise in the ways of brotherhood As taught by brave dead Mander?”
His legacy was recently uncovered in 2014 by Strawberry Mansion resident, and East Fairmount Park Coalition member, Judith Robinson [Note 1].
Two years ago, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that works to bring Philadelphia’s parks to life, led a master-planning process for the Playground and Recreation Center. The Conservancy seeks to improve and steward the parks, enhance their historic and cultural assets, and support the communities they serve. The goal of this planning process was to better honor the history of the neighborhood and its residents, while reshaping the park to better serve the community’s current needs. The improved design would seek to create a monument to Joseph E. Mander and the community at large through the integration of history, culture, and memory, while also encouraging more active uses and taking steps to improve public safety.
Most striking about this planning process was the meaningful way in which the Fairmount Park Conservancy worked alongside the community, rather than for it—namely with the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation and Amber Art & Design. By seeking firms run by African American designers and principals, Fairmount Park Conservancy ensured that the project team reflected the residents and users of the park.
According to Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Special Projects Coordinator, Adela Park,
“When we started out, the overarching goal was to make sure the investments in the park were reflecting the identity of the community and strengthening it. We wanted to make sure the residents had a hand in shaping the investments and the program. There needed to be a widening of perspectives. This idea had a lot to do with thinking about layering art with engagement and building a wider network of stakeholders to reach a different audience.”
Building intentionality and trust into every step, the Conservancy worked quickly and creatively to maximize engagement while minimizing planning fatigue. The techniques used for idea generation allowed for honest and creative conversations between community residents, designers, and other representatives as they celebrated the Mander Playground and Recreation Center’s history and discussed ideas for improvement at a block party. The next meeting included an “Invest in Mander” game where residents were able to invest “Mander Bucks” into the improvements they wanted to see in their community. By intentionally engaging the community in different ways, the Conservancy fused historic preservation with urban design in a way that will allow the Strawberry Mansion community to grow into the future without forgetting its past.
Often, historic preservation and urban design are thought of as distinct fields, operating with different sets of assumptions, goals, and tools. Yet, this project highlights the necessity of shared learning among designers, preservationists, and community members. Historic preservation must be a forward-thinking endeavor. Likewise, urban design must operate with an awareness of the past and a respect for community history. The Reimagining of Joseph E. Mander Playground and Recreation Center serves as a shining example of how disciplinary silos can be disrupted, and an inspiring case for the ways in which community knowledge can be emphasized and valued.
Notes
1. Learn more about his lost and found story here: https://vimeo.com/300776789.