Photo courtesy of Tyler R. Westnedge

The Point Breeze Pioneers have been making an incredible difference in the Point Breeze area, committing their time to establishing new green spaces and restoring old ones. Restoration of the urban environment is the PBP’s priority, so getting local businesses and residents involved and interested is crucial to their success of the team.

Since 2008 PBP has managed an impressive collection of achievements in improving the city of Philadelphia (more specifically Point Breeze); with more than 1,080 hours of hard labor and $14,300 in money raised, they resurrected and improved the Concert Garden located at 2056 Ellsworth Street. Since then there have been eight community events held at the garden with free entertainment for neighborhood residents. They have also revitalized the Shade Garden at Manton and 19th Street, receiving a small grant for structural improvements as well as plant donations. Also on the list of PBP projects is planting more trees at Chew Playground at 1833 Ellsworth Street, working with neighbors to improve the Keith Haring Garden at 22nd and Ellsworth, and planting more than 67 trees in the Point Breeze area (Philly needs more of this).

While these are all huge developments in greening the city, it doesn’t stop there. The Point Breeze Pioneers also have plans to implement an edible landscape behind the American Sardine Bar at 18th and Manton, which will provide neighbors with local food.

The Point Breeze Pioneers have done and are continuing to do what every neighborhood in Philadelphia should be doing, which is giving back and making improvements on the neighborhoods that we take pride (or wish we took pride) in living in. While it would be ideal to have an organization like this within all Philadelphia communities, it’s definitely admirable to see Point Breeze Pioneers really continuing to implement these sort of improvements to their own ‘hood.