Facts about Fairmount Park

Did you know:

* The 9,200 acres of the Fairmount Park system include 63 individual parks and cover 10 percent of Philadelphia's landscape.

* The Fairmount Park system includes 215 miles of bicycle and walking trails.

* Center, Kennedy, Logan, Rittenhouse, and Washington squares are all included in the Fairmount Park system.

* The 130-year-old Fairmount Park Rowing Association provides facilities for Masters, Juniors, and Elite rowing programs and also houses the La Salle University and Episcopal Academy crew teams.

* The Fairmount Park Ranger Corps not only enforces rules in the park system, but also provides emergency services and park education.

* West Fairmount Park's Solitude villa, on the grounds of the Philadelphia Zoo, provides space that zoo administrators and peacocks share. Its secret basement tunnel makes this country retreat once owned by John Penn, grandson of William Penn, a Fairmount attraction.

* The beautiful Japanese House and Garden in West Fairmount Park offers inexpensive summer tours Tuesday through Sunday and monthly public tea ceremonies.

* The recently completed Monastery Runoff Control Project reduces pollution in Wissahickon Creek and controls trail and field erosion. *