What’s all of that construction work at Dickinson Square Park?

You might have noticed a large section of the sidewalk and street on the corner of 4th and Tasker streets under construction. You can thank the Water Department. (Update: Maybe the time of this post was too negative at first. You “should” thank the department.)

The department has been planning “green infrastructure improvements and installing storm water management measures” for this stretch of street for some time, according to a letter sent to nearby neighbors dated Dec. 24, 2013. There’s only one problem, according to a post on the Friends of Dickinson Square Park Facebook page, the letter was received last week.

Here’s the info from the letter:

“The Water Department will be making green infrastructure improvements and installing storm water management measures in the streets listed below: Moyamensing Avenue from Morris to Tasker, Tasker Street from Moyamensing Avenue to 4th Street”

Dickinson Square Park was renovated in 2011/2012 to include a dual-zone play area for smaller and larger children complete with new playground equipment and soft artificial grass. New trees, sidewalks, benches and basketball court were also part of the project.

We reached out of the Water Department via Twitter and this was their reply:

@Pennsporter looks like we investigated an issue and (very) recently referred to @PhilaStreets for restoration. Not sure how long from here.

— Philadelphia Water (@PhillyH2O) September 5, 2014

You may remember that similar stormwater improvements were made around Columbus Square in 2012.

– James Jennings is the founder of the blog Pennsporter — a site dedicated to exploring the neighborhood  from Washington to Snyder, the Delaware to Fourth.