We, the undersigned, believe that Ogden Park is an essential community asset and should remain permanently protected as public green space for current and future generations.

Ogden Park is one of the few publicly accessible green spaces in Francisville where neighbors gather, children play, families relax, community events take place, and residents experience the physical and mental health benefits that access to nature provides. As our neighborhood continues to grow and change, preserving accessible green space becomes even more important.

For years, residents have demonstrated their commitment to this park through volunteer stewardship. Community members regularly organize cleanups, care for the space, remove litter, and invest their own time and energy into keeping the park welcoming for everyone. Today, neighbors continue that tradition through recurring community cleanups held on the second Sunday of every month, along with ongoing efforts led by local volunteers and the United Francisville Civic Association's Greening Committee.

This commitment has continued to grow through the Francisville Garden & Greenspace Collective's Community Greening Plan, funded by the William Penn Foundation. Over the coming year, hundreds of residents will help shape a long-term vision for Ogden Park through community meetings, surveys, interviews, workshops, and collaborative design. This process is intended to identify improvements that reflect neighborhood priorities and create an implementation-ready plan for the park's future.

However, meaningful planning and future investment require confidence that Ogden Park will remain public green space. Community organizations, grant funders, businesses, volunteers, and philanthropic partners are far more likely to invest time, resources, and financial support when the long-term future of the site is secure. Without that assurance, it becomes significantly more difficult to responsibly pursue fundraising, partnerships, or improvements identified through the community planning process.

We therefore respectfully ask Councilman Jeffrey Young Jr and the City of Philadelphia to:

• Recognize Ogden Park as a permanent public green space serving the Francisville neighborhood.
• Establish a long-term stewardship model that ensures the park remains publicly accessible and well cared for into the future.
• Work collaboratively with neighborhood organizations, residents, and community partners to determine the most appropriate stewardship structure.
• Support future community-driven improvements identified through the Francisville Community Greening Plan.

This petition is not a response to an immediate threat. Rather, it is a proactive statement that the Francisville community values this space and wants to ensure it remains protected for generations to come.

By signing below, I support the permanent preservation of Ogden Park as public green space and encourage the City to establish a sustainable, long-term stewardship solution that reflects the wishes of the community.

*Please share any relevant thoughts, stories, history that can be used as quotes in the future when you sign*