Frozen or not, Philly’s own Schuylkill River was named the 2014 Pennsylvania River of the Year by the PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers. Our hometown river won 43% of the popular vote during a 5-week voting period. The recognition even got a mention from last night’s Philadelphia2035 update.

Along with this honor, the Schuylkill River Greenway Association (who nominated the river and manages the area) will receive a $10,000 Leadership grant. The last time we won this award was 1999, and the only other time in the past 30 years.

This is huge progress from the heavily polluted Schuylkill. Formerly almost declared a wasteand, the PA state agreed to take on the Schuylkill River Project in 1945 to clean up the coal waste and pollutants dumped into the river. Efforts to revitalize the river and waterway, from trails, outdoor activities and water quality for drinking are ongoing but clearly making progress.

We’re pretty psyched for anything Philadelphia wins. Plus, we enjoy our long bike rides by the Schuylkill.

Readers, have you enjoyed or explored near the Schuylkill lately?

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Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher