Mayor Cherelle Parker Announces $9.1 million Investment in CobbsCreek Foundation’s Creek Restoration and Flood Mitigation

Cobbs Creek Foundation is spearheading $30 million environmental restoration to mitigate flooding, create wetlands and safeguard communities downstream.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker joined city officials and members of the Cobbs Creek Foundation today 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,” said Mayor Cherelle Parker. “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.”

Mayor Parker thanked the City’s partners, including members of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA), Parks & Recreation, and the teams at Resource Environmental Solutions and KC Construction.

The nonprofit Cobbs Creek Foundation (CCF) is spearheading the revitalization of the historic, 350-acre public Cobbs Creek Golf Course, transforming it into a sustainable world-class golf and education campus that can be enjoyed for generations.

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, which the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection considers one of the largest urban stream restoration projects in the country.

“Environmental stewardship has always been central to our mission, and we are grateful for this partnership with the City,” said Jeffrey Shanahan, president of the Cobbs Creek Foundation. “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, but it was considered the finest public course in America shortly after it opened in 1916. It was also 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% 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.

In April 2025, the 30,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab opened on the Cobbs Creek Campus, offering free, year-round educational programming to children in West Philadelphia and surrounding communities. Created through a partnership with TGR Foundation, a Tiger Woods charity, the community-informed Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab provides opportunities for local youth in grades 1-12, including STEAM courses, tutoring, college prep, and career-connected learning experiences. The restored creek will provide a living classroom for students at the lab.

Led by award-winning former Philadelphia School District principal Meredith Foote, the Philadelphia location joins TGR Foundation’s flagship Lab in Anaheim, California in advancing its mission to empower students to pursue their passions through education.

The Lincoln Financial Center at Cobbs Creek, which houses a split-level driving range, pro shop and Little Horse Tavern restaurant, opened on the Cobbs Creek Campus in December.

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.

About Cobbs Creek Foundation

The Cobbs Creek Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 2018 to restore the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and to return the site to its status as one of Philadelphia's historic landmarks. In partnership with the City of Philadelphia, local schools and community members, the Foundation's mission is to create a state-of-the-art, economically sustainable golf and educational campus that provides opportunity for the youth of Philadelphia by serving their academic, athletic, and social-emotional needs. To learn more, visit cobbscreek.org.