SureShade, the U.S. designer and manufacturer of retractable sunshade systems for the marine industry, is supporting a new waterfront trail on the Delaware River in an effort to grow boating participation in the Philadelphia region.
The city of Philadelphia is achieving a new milestone in its ongoing quest to reconnect neighborhoods to the Delaware River waterfront and to boating, thanks to a newly constructed roadway, continuation of a multi-use trail project and the development of a new waterfront park.
Mayor Michael Nutter, former U.S. Rep. Bob Borski and Councilman Bobby Henon, along with SureShade’s business leader and co-founder Dana Russikoff, gathered with community members Dec. 8 to celebrate the dedication of the first phase of the Delaware Avenue Extension — a new roadway and trail project built along the Delaware Riverfront Greenway in northeast Philadelphia.
The new Delaware Avenue roadway extension improves access to and from businesses along the waterfront while reducing commercial traffic on streets in the neighborhood.
Next to the new roadway is a new shared-use path that will be part of both the Circuit Trail, the region’s more than 300-mile long network of recreational trails, and the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile multi-use trail that runs from Maine to Florida.
Both the new roadway and trail set the stage for the construction of a new waterfront park at the end of Orthodox Street. Development plans for the new park are underway.
Russikoff is an advocate for the growth of boating in Philadelphia and serves as an executive board member for the Delaware River City Corp.
Nicole Vasilaros, vice president of federal and legal affairs at the National Marine Manufacturers Association, was in town the same day to scout waterfront locations for the industry’s upcoming event during July’s Democratic National Convention.
Vasilaros joined Russikoff to help celebrate access to the waterfront and boating along the Delaware River.
“Philadelphia’s Streets Department and Delaware River City Corporation have led this effort, which has been in the works for more than 15 years, and today, with the dedication of this new, critical link, we begin to reshape transportation and recreation in these historic neighborhoods,” Nutter said in a statement.
“The Delaware River represents a huge growth opportunity for both the city and the boating industry,” Russikoff said. “And I’m proud to be part of this waterfront revitalization effort to make Philadelphia and the Delaware River a destination for current boaters, introduce a whole new market demographic to the boating experience and generate economic impact by keeping our growing business here in the city and creating jobs in the boating industry.”
