5 Things Delaware Ave. Needs Right Now

It doesn’t take much to see that Delaware Ave. has so much potential yet for the most part it remains wasted space.  Sure you have a couple of notable places like SugarHouse, Morgan’s, and Dave & Busters but what about in between these places to give the river more of a flow (pun intended), more of a purpose?  Right now our side of the river is not much more appealing than Camden’s and we have about a million more residents! I won’t get into all the politics on why the water front has been so sluggish to be developed but something must be done.

This has plagued me for quite some time so now I am giving ya’ll 5 things that Delaware Ave. needs right now, for entertainment, tourism, but overall for Philly.  I mean most of these are prime time dating destination choices as well as for relaxing.  We all know that overall the city lacks in both these departments.  Here are the the 5 suggestions:

Multilevel Golf Range/Club Along the River

The Golf Club at Chelsea Pier in NYC is a great example of what we could have here

A multilevel golf range would be awesome along the river

Just about every big boy city has one.  Golf is becoming increasingly popular and opportunities for golfing in an urban environment are scarce.  Placing a multilevel golf range along the river would be awesome.  Imagine leaving work and aside from going to a typical happy hour you head over the the range grab a bucket of beer and a bucket of balls to let out your frustrations.  The river backdrop would make the experience even more enjoyable.  A large net can be in place to catch the golf balls for those worrying about that issue.  This could also be a great date choice or even a fun family outing on the weekends.  Maybe a local father will be raising the next PGA sensation.

Miniature Golf

The miniature golf course in Franklin Square should be uprooted and planted on Delaware Ave.

Why is there only one miniature golf course in this whole city? And why is said course located smack dab in the middle of major highways?  It feels like a live version of Frogger just to get there.  Miniature golf is “Americana.”  It’s something all kids should be experiencing growing up.  For us adults that refuse to grow up, mini-golf is still awesome.  This would also be another date or family choice that is lacking in the city.  In addition this would show that Delaware Ave. shouldn’t be reserved just for clubbing and concerts.

Drive-In Movie Theater

Over the last few years pop-up movies throughout the city have become overwhelming popular.  In fact Penns Landing already has summer movie nights.  Why not just commit to the idea and give Philly a nostalgic gem?  There is plenty of potential places to develop  a cool Drive-in along the river.  Let’s face it the movie theaters in the area have much to be desired so being able to watch a flick in the comfort of your own car would be ideal.  Perfect for dates and family time as well, drive-ins create lasting memories.  I still remember going to the drive-in as a kid with my pops.  It’s a crying shame we must travel an hour outside the city just to experience a drive-in.

Sports Complex-Go-Karts/Batting Cages

An indoor/outdoor track would be ideal

Batting cages could spark the career of the next great Phillie

In a sports crazed town such as Philly how in the world is there not a sports complex?  An indoor/outdoor go-kart and batting cage facility would be a smash hit.  I honestly do not even know where the closest go-kart or batting cage is.  Perfect family bonding time is being deprived due to its lack of existence.  These type of facilities shouldn’t be reserved for beach towns and suburbs, we city folk like to have a great time too.  Not only will this add to the diversity of entertainment in the city but it can honestly spark the interest and develop the skill level of the next Mike Schmidt or Mario Andretti.

A Boardwalk

A boardwalk comparable to this rendering with shops and restaurants along the river would be ideal

All of these places would be ideal on Delaware Ave. and it would be unfortunate if you had to walk along the busy street to get to each.  Why not connect them all with a cool boardwalk.  You know something similar to the one the city agreed to build along the Schuylkill River.  Not only would it connect the major establishments but it could also feature mobile venders and stands along the boardwalk.  Bikers and runners could also take advantage of it.  Imagine eating dinner at the Moshulu  and walking to the SugarHouse and passing cool venders and possible small rides for kids along the way.  Envision AC boardwalk meets San Antonio Riverwalk.  Maybe I am a bit of  a dreamer but this would definitely make Delaware Ave. exponentially cooler.