River Trail Extension Links Fitler Square to Grays Ferry
In this issue:
River Trail Extension Links Fitler Square to Grays Ferry
Pilates Studio Takes Bold Approach: No Mirrors Allowed
River Trail Extension Links Fitler Square to Grays Ferry
By James Young
Hundreds of Philadelphians gathered one Saturday in May to celebrate the opening of a trail extension that connects previously separated neighborhoods and trail networks.
A Lifeline for Fitler Square
For Fitler Square residents, the new Christian to Crescent extension offers practical benefits: a safe, direct route for bike commuters heading to Grays Ferry, access to the expanding riverfront amenities, and a pathway for morning jogs or evening strolls.
The 2,800-foot ADA-compliant pathway, featuring a 650-foot cable-supported bridge, now links the neighborhood to the previously isolated Grays Ferry Crescent trail and the main Schuylkill River Trail network.
The extension marks a step forward in the vision for the Schuylkill River Trail, which currently spans 75 miles across five counties and is planned to eventually reach 120 miles.
Officials Emphasize Broader Social Goals
With Philadelphia's skyline as a backdrop, speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony framed the $47 million project in terms that extended well beyond transportation infrastructure.
"This is a place where somebody with holy garb of a Jewish faith, a Muslim faith, could walk side by side in peace and sunlight… This is America. This is what America truly is about," declared State Senator Anthony Williams (D-8).
State Representative Jordan Harris (D-186) emphasized equity goals: "It represents the connectivity of different neighborhoods, different socioeconomic skill levels. It shouldn't matter how much money you have, it shouldn't matter your education; everybody should be able to have high-quality green spaces, and they should be able to have it right in their neighborhood."
Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson described the project as "more than a bridge, it's a bridge to opportunity," adding that "it brings us one step closer to a Philadelphia where every neighborhood is linked by safe, beautiful accessible trails and green spaces."
Building Momentum for 2026
These improvements come as Philadelphia prepares to welcome visitors for both the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
More progress is already planned – the Schuylkill Crossing pedestrian bridge, which will extend the trail to Bartram's Mile and provide access to Bartram's Garden National Historic Landmark, is projected to open later this year.
Pilates Studio Takes Bold Approach: No Mirrors Allowed
By David Aragon
Walk into most Pilates studios and you'll be surrounded by mirrors. But one new Fitler Square studio has eliminated them entirely.
Solmar Pilates, founded by Barcelona-born physiotherapist Isabel Artigues, has been a reflection-free space since it opened last summer near South and 23rd Street.
Artigues, who came to Philadelphia in 2016 after training as a physiotherapist in Spain and working in the UK, opened the studio after years of searching for something that didn't exist in the city's fitness landscape.
"I couldn't find anything that had the niche I was looking for," she explains. Her vision was to create something between impersonal physical therapy practices and massive franchise studios with 20-30 people per class.
"It's all about turning inward and feeling the exercises in your body," Artigues explains. "We care less about how it looks and more about how it feels." The mirror-free approach has created what clients describe in reviews as a more inclusive environment, where participants focus on internal sensations rather than external comparisons.
Training Ground for Philly's Next Pilates Generation
Solmar is Philadelphia's only host site for Polestar Pilates, an international teacher training program. Artigues, who became the region's educator after completing her own training, is now cultivating the city's next generation of Pilates instructors.
"As students are becoming apprentices, they can start getting their feet wet by teaching at the studio," she explains. Currently, over a dozen instructors work at Solmar, with 17 students ready apprentice by the end of summer.
This "incubator" environment benefits everyone involved. New teachers get real-world experience in a supportive setting, while clients get access to more affordable foundation classes taught by eager apprentices determined to "cross all the T's and dot all the I's."