Hunting Park

Hunting Park has had a crime-riddled reputation in recent years. It is a neighborhood in upper North Philadelphia that has been the victim of an underground stream causing homes to sink into the ground.

Since the 1920s there has been a recreation park which has recently received a $3.3 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and advisory support from the Fairmount Park Conservancy. Phillies first baseman, Ryan Howard, made a major contribution toward rebuilding the baseball field.

For the first time, a farmer’s market operated in the park each week during the summer of 2011.

Hunting Park is largely populated by African Americans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans with 50 percent Black and 50 percent Hispanic. Property values have dropped by 17 percent in recent years, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Access to public transportation along Broad Street is good.

Life has been breathed into the area by the arrival of the Squash Smarts Program. Established some 6 years ago, Squash
Smarts is an after school program that tutors and mentors inner city youth on a path to college. A new facility moved this program from the campus of Drexel University to North Philadelphia.

There is a US Post Office, Family Medical Center and Hunting Park Christian Academy.

Much like other neighborhoods in North Philadelphia, Hunting Park is plagued with neglected buildings, empty lots and a high crime rate. The mostly residential neighborhood consists of row homes and single family houses in a low-income area.

Hunting Park’s peak time of development was from 1920 to the 1940s when North Philadelphia was growing community. The population began to drop off in the 1950s and that’s when the neighborhood began to decline and quickly became a lower income community. The population in Hunting Park is predominantly Puerto Rican and African American.

The neighborhood gets its name from a large park in the area. The park has always been a popular location for recreational activity. It was even home to a minor league baseball team. At one point there was a lake that housed small rowboats for rent. Eventually a city pool was built at that location.

There are rumors that Hunting Park is experiencing gentrification with property value increasing but it’s not noticeable. The area still appears to be falling apart and is dirty. Outside of the park itself there are few areas of interest to visit. There are limited shopping options and a few small restaurants and corner shops.

Hunting Park is a neighborhood located in North Philadelphia. The neighborhood is named after a large park which provides the residents with a large area for recreation.
The area has an eclectic mix of ethnicities including African Americans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. It is one of the more affordable locations of Philadelphia to live in and has a median household income is $40,000.
Hunting Park’s biggest draw is the large park the neighborhood is named after. The park features a large community pool, baseball fields, a large playground, picnic areas and a ring-catch carousel located just south of the center lawn island.
The neighborhood is made up of mainly classic style Philadelphia row homes, single-family houses and twin-family houses. There are also a few smaller apartment complexes located in the area. Hunting Park is a mainly residential area but does have some shops, bars and restaurants in it that are affordably priced and cook up some delicious southern style food.
Hunting Park used to be an unpleasant place to live due to the high crime rates in the area. Residents have since banded together to clean up the neighborhood and make it a more ideal setting for families and elderly residents.