Open Thread: What would you like to see at Graffiti Pier?

Graffiti Pier, a beloved site for regular Philadelphians and artists alike, is getting a new life as a public park.

The decision was announced earlier this month by the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), nearly a year after the Port Richmond pier was closed to the public. Despite Graffiti Pier’s long history as a sort of outdoor, public canvas for artists—graffiti artists, specifically—it had also become the site of a lot of drug use and violent crime over recent decades before it was finally shut down, according to police.

Now, the DRWC, backed by funding from the William Penn Foundation, hopes to breathe life back into the Port Richmond pier and the surrounding area, with input from the public, local residents, and artists.

With that in mind, we want to get an idea of how Philly will respond. What would you like to see at the colorful pier when it becomes a park? Should all the graffiti remain? Should it instead be moved and reused in other parts of the new park? Are there any kind of amenities that you think could enhance and celebrate the history of the pier?

Let us know in the comments below. The DRWC hopes to start official outreach to the public later this summer.