Fairmount Park Conservancy Seeks Names for New Swan Boats

FDR Park is now the home of eight new swan-shaped paddle boats, and the Fairmount Park Conservancy is asking for the public's help in naming them.

This summer is the second summer that the Conservancy and the Independence Seaport Museum have partnered to hold free community paddleboarding events on Edgewood Lake.

FDR Park's new swan-shaped paddle boats are painted blue, which, according to Cari Feiler Bender of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, was intentional.

"They are designed to look like blue herons, a nod to the park's estuarial setting and increasingly diverse wildlife," she told Philly Voice. "We are naming the eight boats to add a personal touch to each voyage and to give participants a chance to shape this program." 

People can submit names for consideration by subscribing to the Fairmount Park Conservancy's weekly newsletter or attending the upcoming free community boating event on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the FDR Park Boathouse. A list of nominees will be presented in a newsletter next month, and the winning eight will be revealed after Aug. 16. 

According to the Philly Voice, the 348-acre FDR Park has been undergoing an over $250 million revitalization that began in 2018. A multi-year plan involves renovating public athletic fields and trails and rehabilitating some of the natural elements that have deteriorated over the last century.

Visit the Fairmount Park Conservancy's website for more information and to view upcoming community events at FDR Park.