New Signs In Rittenhouse Square Ban Sitting On Walls
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It is a popular place to sit and hang out, but if you're in Rittenhouse Square, sitting in certain places may get you in trouble.
This week, Philadelphia's Parks and Recreations Department put up new signs around Rittenhouse Square. The signs tell visitors not to sit on the park's iconic walls.
The problem is, the walls make for very popular seats in the park.
Now that @PhilaParkandRec has banned sitting on walls in Rittenhouse Square they can finally focus on banning dancing at the prom. #damnkids
— Garrett O'Dwyer (@gfk_odwyer) January 13, 2017
@PhillyMayor now we can't sit on the walls at Rittenhouse Square??! Come on! That's not fixing anything!
— Zen (@zenliving70) January 13, 2017
Why would you ruin the comfortable, casual fun of Rittenhouse Square by removing benches & then prohibiting sitting on the wall? #AskKenney
— Mandy (@ajtrublu) January 13, 2017
A statement from Philadelphia Parks and Recreations says:
'The Philadelphia Parks & Recreation department authorized the installation of these signs and new rules for Rittenhouse Square Park in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police Department and The Friends of Rittenhouse Square. The move was in response to a recent uptick in vandalism on the historic balustrades which received nearly $1 million in restoration work just a few years ago.
Furthermore, the walls were not originally designed to be used for seating so this measure will further protect the structural integrity of these iconic park features.
Rittenhouse is one of our city's most recognizable & beloved public parks. As stewards of these valuable resources, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation works to preserve them for future generations while encouraging the public to use and enjoy all of our parks now.'
