Cobbs Creek Public Launch
We’re relatively sure you’ve heard of Cobbs Creek. A historic golf course nestled within a park over on Philly’s west side. If you haven’t heard of Cobbs Creek, especially after their public announcement on January 19th, 2022, we’d love to tell you more about where we’ve been with them and where we are going.
The Cobbs Creek Foundation, a group spearheading the revitalization of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and surrounding area, announced their recent lease agreement alongside their intentions to complete a $65 million restoration project. After years of neglect and damage due to erosion, the course is finally getting a face-lift, complete with the addition of new playing courses, conservation of connected creeks and tributaries, and a community-engaged education center. Restoration of the course will produce tax revenue for our local economy and create over 150 jobs. While we have been privy to these plans for quite some time, we are thrilled that the public can now share in all the excitement for a new Cobbs Creek and appreciate all of the efforts The Foundation has made to turn their vision into a reality.
The Cobbs Creek Golf Course has a long-standing history, home to groundbreaking athletes such as Philadelphia native Charlie Sifford and black golf pioneer Lee Elder. The course was host to a long list of notable events, including a 1926 Women’s Exhibition Match featuring famed amateur golfer Dorothy Campbell Hurd, the National Negro Open, and the Daily News Open.
“For more than a hundred years, Cobbs Creek Golf Course served as a public course welcoming players of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and skill levels. We are partnering with the Cobbs Creek Foundation to invest in this local treasure and make sure that Cobbs Creek maintains its place on the map of America’s first, best, and most welcoming public golf courses. The plan for the Cobbs Creek golf course celebrates our city’s identity, embraces a history of inclusion, and brings forth a shared message of unity within our city that we can all rally around.” -Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney
In April 2020, heavy partnered with the Cobbs Creek Foundation to craft the course’s rich story into a bold and authentic campaign that would attract interest from the diverse Philadelphia community and donors alike. There’s no arguing that Cobbs had a story to tell, so for heavy, it was about how to tell it. We worked on sewing all the essential aspects of Cobbs Creek’s continual history into a foundational brand strategy, including a new website, tablet presentation, 20-page brochure, stationery, and a brand film. Each uniquely compelling on its own, the elements contributed to a consistent positioning that any of The Foundation members could easily share.
In the months that followed, heavy watched the Cobbs Creek Foundation accomplish goal after goal, each coming closer to their recent public announcement and eventually the much-anticipated re-opening of the course. From bright, early-stage ideas, the creation of development plans and drawings, and now to a lease acquisition and beginning of the construction phase, Cobbs Creek is well on its way to reclaiming what it once was.
“We are fortunate to have a national treasure in our backyard, and our mission is to utilize this resource for the direct benefit of the youth of the surrounding community.”
-Chris Maguire, chairman of the Cobbs Creek Foundation
The Cobbs Creek Golf Course is an incredibly significant aspect of Philadelphia’s past and future history. To contribute to its preservation is emblematic of where we see our work carrying the most weight. The resulting excitement, praise, and energy that stems from the announcement assure all of the hard work that the Cobbs Creek Foundation has put into building their project and assures our team’s work in helping The Foundation reach its full potential. We look forward to the completed restoration of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and its continued success in maintaining a legacy of inclusion and acceptance.