A do-it-yourself toolkit for neighborhood parks
Turn a vacant lot into your neighborhood's park.
Park in a Truck walks you and your neighbors through every step — finding a lot, organizing a team, designing the park, building it, and keeping it beautiful. This site turns the toolkit into a guided, interactive workbook that does the lookups for you.
Welcome back
Your path
- Start hereWhy parks matter and how Park in a Truck works.— sub-steps done
- AcquireFind a lot and get permission to use it.— sub-steps done
- OrganizeBuild a park committee and rally your neighbors.— sub-steps done
- AssessGet to know your lot: sun, soil, and surroundings.— sub-steps done
- DreamDesign your park with the park pieces.— sub-steps done
- CreateBuild it, one weekend phase at a time.— sub-steps done
- SustainCare for your park, season after season.— sub-steps done
Have a lot in mind?
Type a Philadelphia address. We'll find the owner, the lot size, zoning and the lot's outline — no need to dig through atlas.phila.gov.
Tools that do the legwork
Find a lot
Map of vacant land near you with owner, size and zoning.
Plan in 3D
Fit the Park in a Truck park pieces to your real lot and see sun and shade.
Build guides
Step-by-step instructions for benches, tables, planters, shade and more.
Plants
Native plant lists for each park theme, for sun and shade.
Parks built so far
See what neighbors across Philadelphia have already created.
My park
Your answers, saved in this browser. Share a copy with your committee.