Birds being neighborly

Edward G. Robinson III, Philadelphia News

Friday, June 5, 1998

Before the Eagles got to Mifflin Square Park yesterday, there was a barren cement area next to a basketball court, with tufts of grass peaking through the cracks and trash scattered throughout. They left behind a colorful playground, surrounded by newly painted benches, freshly laid mulch and hundreds of smiling youth, all picking up trash.

The playground, which is in South Philly six blocks from Veterans Stadium, was named Eagles Unity Playground by the Eagles Youth Partnership, a charitable wing of the football team, which paid the $75,000 to build the playground.

"I always felt that if I ever owned a football team, our two priorities would be winning championships and impacting community leaders," owner Jeffrey Lurie said. "You can't really succeed unless you focus on winning, but in the big picture, community leadership is the most important thing we could be involved in."

Starting at 9:30 a.m., some 65 staff members chucked aside the computers and other duties to put together two pieces of playground equipment and set them in place.

They were joined by 31 Eagles players after a morning mini-camp practice.

"I always had somewhere nice to play when I was a little kid, to hang out, and that's what we're trying to do today," quarterback Bobby Hoying said. "All these teammates out here do a lot of charity work, and this is important, because it's for the kids." And now the kids around Mifflin Square have place too, thanks to the work of community organizations such as National Schools and Community Corps, who worked for four months with the Eagles on the project, the city Department of Recreation and other community groups.

"The hope for this is that it brings the neighborhood together," said Sarah Holfman, executive director of the 2-year-old Eagles Youth Partnership.

Taggart Elementary School pupils helped design the playground with drawings from their art classes. Their work was brought to the Eagles' attention by NSCC counselors who tutor the pupils. Students of all ages labored in shifts, occasionally taking breaks to get autographs from their favorite players. Also working were about 100 adult volunteers.

Linebacker Ray Farmer was reminded of a playground in Nicetown the Eagles helped build last year. "The other one we built last year is still standing," he said. "They wanted it to keep looking nice, it's not about us. It's about the people in the community."

"Things like this bring communities together," said Mannwell Glenn, assistant recreation commissioner. "People get to know each other who have never congregated in the park before.

" Will the neighbors take care of this playground? "As long as they've got the Eagles sign up there, I think they'll keep it clean." Said Nicole Johnson, a student volunteer from Furness High. "Because they're all dying for the Eagles, especially the little kids."