View source for Love Park

{{Short description|Park in Philadelphia, United States of America}}
{{about|the park in the United States|the park in Canada|Love Park Toronto|the park in Peru|Love Park, Lima}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox park
| name = John F. Kennedy Plaza
| type = [[Urban park]]
| photo = Love Statue, Philadelphia.jpg
| photo_caption = May 2023 view of the LOVE sculpture.
| location = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|39.9542|-75.1657|region:US-PA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|0.5|acre}}
| created = 1965
| operator = Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
| status = Open
| publictransit = 
}}
[[File:JFK Plaza and City Hall (259490276).jpg|thumb|right|275px|October 2006 view of LOVE Park, with [[Philadelphia City Hall|City Hall]] in the background]]
'''LOVE Park''', officially known as '''John F. Kennedy Plaza''', is a public park located in [[Center City, Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, United States. The park is across from the [[Philadelphia City Hall]] and serves as a visual terminus for the [[Benjamin Franklin Parkway]]. The park is nicknamed LOVE Park for its reproduction of [[Robert Indiana|Robert Indiana's]] 1970 ''[[LOVE (sculpture)|LOVE]]'' sculpture which overlooks the plaza, one of three located in Philadelphia.

Despite municipal bans and renovations designed to limit the activity, LOVE Park became one of the most famous and recognizable [[skateboarding]] spots in the world in the 1990s and 2000s.<ref name="Copelin">{{Cite web |last=Copelin |first=Nathan |date=2017-03-10 |title=Josh Kalis Recalls the Glory Days of Love Park |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/josh-kalis-recalls-the-glory-days-of-love-park/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Goldberg 2004">{{cite news |last1=Goldberg |first1=Debbie |title=Philadelphia Puts an End to a Skateboarder's Paradise |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/04/25/philadelphia-puts-an-end-to-a-skateboarders-paradise/510494c0-4f09-49ac-a6e0-98f91e56deb2/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=25 April 2002}}</ref><ref name="NC 2016">{{cite web |last1=Neely-Cohen |first1=Maxwell |title=How Philadelphia Destroyed The Greatest Skate Spot Ever Made |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/maxwellneelycohen/how-philadelphia-destroyed-the-greatest-skate-spot-ever-made |website=Buzzfeed News |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref>

==History==
Former Philadelphia city planner [[Edmund Bacon (architect)|Edmund Bacon]] and architect [[Vincent G. Kling]] planned and designed the original LOVE Park. The park was first proposed as part of Bacon’s Cornell architecture thesis in 1932 as a feature of a new city plan for Philadelphia. Once Bacon became Executive Director of the City Planning Commission, the architectural design of the park itself was completed by Kling.<ref name="Dianda 2004">{{cite AV media |people=Dianda, Kirk (director) |date=27 January 2004 |title= LOVE STORY: The Saga of a Landmark|type= Documentary motion picture |language=english |format= motion picture |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84JpXmJRU40 |location=US}}</ref>

The park was built in 1965 and covered an underground parking garage. The main feature of the plaza became a centrally located single spout fountain added in 1969. The city's visitor center (built in 1960, before LOVE Park) was closed for five years, but re-opened in 2006 as The [[Fairmount Park]] Welcome Center.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027021640/https://www.phlvisitorcenter.com/things-to-do/fairmount-park-welcome-center|archive-date=October 27, 2018|url=http://www.phlvisitorcenter.com/attraction/fairmount-park-welcome-center|title=Fairmount Park Welcome Center|location=Philadelphia|publisher=Independence Visitor Center Corporation|url-status=dead}}</ref> The park was dedicated in 1967 as John F. Kennedy Plaza after [[John F. Kennedy|President John F. Kennedy]].
[[File:LOVE Park Plaque.jpg|thumb|The park is dedicated to the late United States president [[John F. Kennedy]]. A plaque at the park describes the dedication.]]
A [[LOVE (sculpture)|"LOVE" sculpture]], designed by [[Robert Indiana]], was first placed in the plaza in 1976 as part of the  [[United States Bicentennial]] celebration. The sculpture was removed in 1978 after the celebration ended. However, the chairman of Philadelphia Art Commission, [[Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr.]], was able to purchase the sculpture and to have it permanently placed it in the plaza during that year.

From 2016 to 2018, a major reconstruction project converted the largely [[hardscape]]d plaza  into a greener space that contains large and small lawns for casual uses, two gardens and 2 green stormwater basins with tropical and native plantings, an open viewshed of City Hall and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, new cafe seating, and daily recreational games.<ref>{{cite news|first= Morgan|last= Zalot|date=February 10, 2016|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2016/02/10/philadelphia-love-park-renovation-skateboards.html|title=Phila. breaks ground on $16.5M LOVE Park renovation|work=[[Philadelphia Business Journal]]|access-date=January 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first= Morgan|last= Zalot|date=February 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107215027/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philadelphia-breaks-ground-on-165-million-love-park-renovation/2042336/|archive-date=January 7, 2020|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philadelphia-breaks-ground-on-165-million-love-park-renovation/2042336/|title=Philadelphia Breaks Ground on $16.5 Million LOVE Park Renovation|work=[[WCAU|NBC10 Philadelphia]]|access-date=January 7, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> A redesigned fountain features a large central jet and a "bird's nest" of smaller jets with programmable up-lighting within a large oval paved area.<ref>{{cite web|first=Anna|last=Merriman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107204229/https://philly.curbed.com/2018/5/30/17410456/renovations-love-park-kenney-philly-sculpture|archive-date=January 7, 2020|url=https://philly.curbed.com/2018/5/30/17410456/renovations-love-park-kenney-philly-sculpture|title=After two years, LOVE Park reopens with new look|work=Curbed Philadelphia|date=May 30, 2018|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|access-date=January 7, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Patricia|last=Madej|date=May 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107210222/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/philadelphia/love-park-reopens-renovations-philadelphia-20180530.html|archive-date=January 7, 2020|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/philadelphia/love-park-reopens-renovations-philadelphia-20180530.html|title=LOVE Park reopens after renovations|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|access-date=January 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107195122/https://myphillypark.org/what-we-do/programs/lovepark/|archive-date=January 7, 2020|url=https://myphillypark.org/what-we-do/programs/lovepark/|title=The New LOVE Park|location=Philadelphia|publisher=Fairmount Park Conservancy|year=2020|access-date=January 7, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Skateboarding==
Skateboarders began skating LOVE Park in the 1980s.<ref name="Copelin"/><ref name="Dianda 2004"/> The first ban on skateboarding in the park was passed in 1984. In the early 1990s, during the administration of Mayor [[Ed Rendell]], enforcement was ramped up and prioritized, with police giving $300 fines to skateboarders.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Daniel |title=No 'Love' for Skateboarders |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1844053117 |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=3 March 1995|id={{ProQuest|1844053117}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosenberg |first1=Amy S. |title=Skateboards Can Stay at JFK Plaza |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1838195167/D0718DDDCE394A7FPQ/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=11 April 1992}}</ref>

Despite the ban, throughout the 1990s skate videos and photographs featuring the park propelled it to becoming one of the most recognizable East Coast skateboarding locations.<ref name="NC 2016"/> “Neither Vincent or I had the slightest premonition that our work would become world famous” Bacon said in 2004 regarding the fame skateboarding had brought the park.<ref name="Dianda 2004"/>

In 2000, LOVE Park was featured as a level in the video game ''[[Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2]]''.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]|developer=[[Neversoft]]|publisher=[[Activision]]|date=2000-09-19|platform=[[PlayStation]]|level=Philadelphia}}</ref><ref name="Copelin"></ref>

In 2001, Mayor [[John F. Street]]’s administration announced plans to increase the level of policing and enforcement of the ban on skateboarding while simultaneously hosting the [[X-Games]] in 2001 and 2002,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Egan |first1=Nicole Weisensee |title=No Love for Skaters: Police to Increase Watch Over Park and Other Sites |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1887113980 |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=6 August 2001|id={{ProQuest|1887113980}} }}</ref> leading to criticism, protests, and discussion as to whether the city was wrongly wasting an asset by discouraging skateboarding in the park.<ref>{{cite news |last1=DiFilippo |first1=Dana |title=Is City's Skateboard Ban Short-Sighted?: Eye on Safety, Damage may Overlook Tourist Dollars |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1889696694 |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=27 December 2001|id={{ProQuest|1889696694}} }}</ref><ref name ="NC 2016"/>

In early 2002, the city announced renovations that would intentionally destroy the skateable elements of the park.<ref name="Goldberg 2004"/> In October 2002, Bacon skateboarded across the park at age 92 in protest of both the renovations and the bans on skateboarding in an act of civil disobedience.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McQuade |first1=Dan |title=WATCH: That Time Ed Bacon Skateboarded Across LOVE Park |url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/02/14/love-park-ed-bacon-skateboarding-video/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=Philadelphia Magazine |date=14 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Old Man Makes LOVE: LOVE Park's creators protest city's abuse of skaters. |url=https://www.skateboarding.com/news/old-man-makes-love |website=Transworld Skateboarding |access-date=7 April 2024 |date=12 February 2003}}</ref><ref name="Pogrebin 05">{{cite news |last1=Pogrebin |first1=Robin |title=Edmund Bacon, 95, Urban Planner of Philadelphia, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/18/arts/design/edmund-bacon-95-urban-planner-of-philadelphia-dies.html?searchResultPosition=5 |access-date=8 April 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=18 October 2005}}</ref>

In 2004, [[DC Shoes]] offered to pay the city for the park’s upkeep if skateboarding would be allowed at the park,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubinkam |first1=Michael |title=Skateboarding in LOVE Park Gets Bost |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2342276539 |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=The Morning Call |agency=Associated Press |date=2 June 2004|id={{ProQuest|2342276539}} }}</ref> but the bans and renovations continued.

In February 2016, Mayor [[Jim Kenney]] temporarily lifted the ban on skateboarding for five days before the park was completely demolished and rebuilt, removing the iconic Fountain Gap and remaining skateable elements.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Crimmins |first1=Peter |title=Philadelphia Mayor Lifts Ban On Love Park Skateboarding Before Renovation |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/02/15/466848789/philadelphia-mayor-lifts-ban-on-love-park-skateboarding-before-renovation |access-date=7 April 2024 |work=National Public Radio |date=15 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Cuchulainn |first1=Cameron |title=Photos from the Last Days of Philadelphia's Legendary Skate Spot LOVE Park |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/photos-from-the-last-days-of-philadelphias-legendary-skate-spot-love-park/ |website=Vice Magazine |access-date=7 April 2024 |date=13 January 2018}}</ref>

In 2024, the city of [[Malmo, Sweden]] announced they had acquired the original granite used in the park and were rebuilding a portion of the original design intentionally to attract skateboarders. The park will be open in June of 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=LOVE PARK IS BEING RESURRECTED IN… SWEDEN? |url=https://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2024/03/06/love-park-is-being-resurrected-in-sweden/ |website=Jenkem Magazine |access-date=7 April 2024 |date=4 March 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Philadelphia}}
*[[List of parks in Philadelphia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|LOVE Park}}
*{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216230504/http://www.ushistory.org/lovepark/index.htm|archivedate=February 16, 2012|url=http://www.ushistory.org/lovepark/index.htm|title=Free LOVE Park|work=ushistory.org|date=May 22, 2003|location=Philadelphia|publisher=[[Independence Hall Association]]|url-status=live}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080503131029/http://skatespotter.com/spot/philadelphia-love-park-81.html Love Park videos and photos] from SkateSpotter

{{Philadelphia parks|state=expanded}}
{{John F. Kennedy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Love Park}}
[[Category:Municipal parks in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Skateboarding spots]]
[[Category:Center City, Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Love]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials to John F. Kennedy in the United States]]