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Co-Chairs: Janet Finegar, janetfinegar@gmail.com
Liz Reed, earead@yahoo.com
Jessica Hall, jessica.hall@thomsonreuters.com
View our calendar of events
Please remember that Liberty Lands is a neighborhood park - be considerate of neighbors in your use.
No use of the park can ever restrict public access to the playground and community gardens. Park uses that restrict or reduce public access to the other open areas of the park are limited to a few per season.
The primary use of the park is for day-to-day enjoyment by neighbors, including small gatherings and occasional parties. Rentals by businesses or non-profit organizations, performances, and other events intended to draw participants to the park are exceptional uses. Please read through this information carefully to make sure your use is allowed.
An event reservation ensures that you may use the park for the reserved purpose at the date/time specified. If other users wish to reserve at the same time, you'll be given the opportunity to approve their reservation. All reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis, with special priority given only to events sponsored by Liberty Lands or NLNA. If your event is rained out, you must make a new reservation.
To make a reservation: First, check the on-line calendar to see what other reservations may be at the park for your desired date. Then e-mail Janet Finegar at janetfinegar@gmail.com with your reservation request. Please include the date and times you'd like to reserve and details about your event (number of people, type of event, any special permissions you'd like to receive or park amenities you'd like to use). You should receive a response within two days (if you do not receive a response, please e-mail again and/or call the NLNA office at 215-627-6562).
Reservations don't guarantee access to park amenities – you should “reserve” picnic tables, grills, etc. with a note on the table stating the date and time for which it will be used. Reserved uses have priority over unreserved uses, and if necessary, unreserved users may be asked to leave.
The platform stage at the north end of the park may be used as a play space or party space, but may only be used for performances with prior permission.
Reservations are recorded on the Liberty Lands calendar (publicly accessible at www.nlna.org/liberty-lands-calendar.html).
Users are expected to clean up after themselves and to supply separate trash bags for their event so that the park trash cans are not overwhelmed. All users should make a sincere effort to recycle their disposables. Tied trash bags and recycling containers should be placed in the trash corral on American Street at the end of an event.
Park users are responsible for any damage to the park (trees, gardens, playground equipment, and other park equipment) caused during their event. Normal wear-and-tear on the lawn is expected for park use, but events that may cause extra damage to the grass may be charged a higher fee to offset that damage.
No motorized vehicles can be brought into the park.
All general park rules must be respected by all users. In particular, users should be sure to enforce the policy that all dogs must be leashed at all times in Liberty Lands.
Access to electrical hookup and to park water is available for reserved events with prior permission.
Liberty Lands is considered closed at dusk and events should be planned to end at dusk unless prior permission is obtained. During the summer, no event should go past 8:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights or 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, including clean up time.
Alcohol may be consumed in the park within the legal restrictions of the City and State.
Recorded music and live, un-amplified music is allowed during daylight hours, but users must be considerate of neighbors in terms of volume. Music must be turned off at dusk unless specific prior permission is obtained. Live amplified music is very occasionally allowed for special events and with specific permission. See note below on uses of the stage.
Specific permission is necessary for bonfires and rented carnival equipment (such as moonbounces).
All park users should be respectful of and courteous to the residents who are the park's immediate neighbors. Please honor their requests about volume or nature of activities. Neighbors Seth Donkochik and Carrie Biegler are the on-site representatives of the park for all events and have the authority to require that park activities be changed or ended, if necessary.
Costs for use are determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the length and type of use, the number of people involved, and the strain on park amenities. Most neighbors will be asked for a donation of $25-$100; fees for organizations renting the park will be higher. Fees are used to offset the cost of increased trash and to support the ongoing maintenance of the park.
For many events, a security deposit of $200-$500 will be requested. This deposit is refundable after an event with no damage or problems. Should damage to the park occur during the event, the deposit may be retained as partial or entire compensation for the cost of that damage. Security deposits may also be retained should an event violate park rules, especially as relate to noise levels, use hours, or safety.
Park users assume personal liability for any injury or loss that they may sustain during their use of the park. The organizer of an event assumes liability for the actions of and injury to any one attending an event at the park. Organizers of large public events will be asked to carry liability insurance for their event and to list Liberty Lands, the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, and the Northern Liberties Action Committee as “additional insured” on the policy.
Fees for use should be payable to "Liberty Lands" and sent to the NLNA office at 700 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123.
The park stage is primarily intended for the use of the NLNA/Liberty Lands and the three established music festivals held there each year. Out of consideration for our many neighbors, very few other events involving electronic amplification (particularly live amplified music) are allowed at the park.
No music festivals (events including more than one band) will be scheduled other than the established events.
Other events featuring amplified performances should request scheduling: the park committee will make decisions on a case by case basis about what may be allowed.
Liberty Lands is delighted to be the location for neighborhood birthday parties. You should be aware, however, that the communal nature of our neighborhood means that many parties held at the park are open to all children and thus people often assume that activities at the park are publicly available. While you are, of course, not required to make your party available to uninvited children, we encourage you to plan to minimize the need to be exclusive. For instance, you may choose to do activities such as a pinata at home if you do not wish to make it large enough to accommodate extra kids. Very attractive party activities such as moonbounces or clowns should be open to all if possible.
If your event's size, hours, or nature is unusual for park activities, you must notify the surrounding neighbors one week prior to the event itself. An e-mail list will be available in the future, but currently you must flier every residence and business in the area designated below. The fliers you distribute should clearly explain what your event is, when it will occur (date and hours), what activities it will include (such as amplified music, number of people, etc.), and a cell phone number for someone on site at the day of the event should there be noise complaints. Please send a copy of the flier to a park coordinator before distribution.
Flier distribution should cover at least these 150 addresses:
- 3rd Street: Poplar Street to 1020 N. 3rd, both sides of street, including businesses and apartments
- American Street: Poplar Street to 1010 N. American Street, both sides of street, including the houses perpendicular to the street facing the park
- Laurel Street: American to 3rd Street, including businesses
- Wildey Street: 322 West Wildey to American Street, both sides of street
- Bodine Street: 1002-1014 North Bodine Street
The Liberty Lands Committee oversees the maintenance, preservation, and improvements to the community park. A small steering committee meets monthly to review all park activities, which typical include: organization of volunteers, planning workdays and cleanups, playground maintenance, community garden maintenance, organization of park events, management of park use, fundraising planning, grant management, legal issues affecting the property, materials and equipment procurement, capital improvements, long-term planning, and management of the roughly $10,000 annual operating budget. Steering committee members also represent the park at the local and national level as advocates for open space issues. De facto subcommittees manage issues specific to the community garden, the playground, and yearly events such as the music festivals and fall festival. Volunteers are welcomed at all levels of participation from steering committee membership to attendance at workdays.
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