Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker joined city officials and members of the Cobbs Creek Foundation to announce a $9.1 million investment in restoring three miles of Cobbs Creek and the public Cobbs Creek Golf Course.
The commitment will support the work currently underway to rebuild three miles of impaired waterways and tributaries along Cobbs Creek, providing long-term sustainability and flood mitigation for the neighboring communities. The project will create 25 acres of new floodplain wetlands as well as new infrastructure for stormwater and habitats for fish, birds and other wildlife.
“This investment reflects our belief that every neighborhood deserves access to high-quality public spaces that bring people together and strengthen our communities,” Parker said. “The creek restoration and flood mitigation work will enhance the natural beauty of this neighborhood, while also improving stormwater management and protecting this natural corridor for generations to come.”
The nonprofit Cobbs Creek Foundation is spearheading the revitalization of the historic, 350-acre public Cobbs Creek Golf Course, transforming it into a sustainable golf and education campus.
In 2021, CCF signed a long-term lease with the City of Philadelphia to revitalize the city-owned golf course, restore the creek and build an education center. The foundation is raising $180 million for the project. CCF will invest roughly $30 million in improvements to the creek.
“Environmental stewardship has always been central to our mission, and we are grateful for this partnership with the City,” Cobbs Creek Foundation president Jeffrey Shanahan said. “The work that is being done to restore the creek will protect the communities downstream and ensure that the revitalized Cobbs Creek Campus remains safe, sustainable, and accessible to all.”
The Cobbs Creek Golf Course closed in 2020 after years of falling into disrepair. It opened in 1916 and it was historic for its commitment to inclusion: it welcomed Black players and women at a time many courses did not.
The creek restoration work, which began in 2023, is roughly 50 percent complete, with the stream excavated and the flow rerouted to mitigate downstream flooding. Additional work will take place this spring and summer, which will include retaining wall installation, the creation of new wetlands and native planting.
The fully reopened Cobbs Creek Campus will function as a self-sustaining entity, with profits generated from course play, sales and other fees going to support community and education initiatives.
The Q School, a 9-hole short course designed by TGR Design, will open to the public in Spring 2026.
The Cobbs Creek campus will continue opening in phases with the championship 18-hole course set to reopen in 2027 and the 9-hole Karakung course set to reopen in 2028.
