Protesters Arrested After Disrupting CHOP Garage Construction in Grays Ferry

Residents worry the new parking garage will increase pollution and traffic near homes and a local playground.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Three protesters were arrested after standing on the site of a new parking garage being built by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Grays Ferry neighborhood for more than an hour on Thursday. The protesters say the garage will worsen air pollution in the area, which has already faced industrial pollution issues. Nearby residents like Maggie Foster, who lives a block away with her young daughter, are also concerned about the increased traffic and danger the garage could bring to the neighborhood.

Why it matters

The Grays Ferry neighborhood in Philadelphia has a history of dealing with industrial pollution, including the closure of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery after a fire and explosions in 2019. Residents are worried the new CHOP parking garage will only exacerbate air quality and traffic issues in the area, especially near homes and a local playground.

The details

Three protesters were arrested after standing on the construction site of the new CHOP parking garage in Grays Ferry for over an hour on Thursday. The protesters say the garage will increase air pollution in the neighborhood, which has already faced significant industrial pollution issues. Nearby resident Maggie Foster, who lives a block away with her 1-year-old daughter, is concerned the added traffic from the garage will make the area more dangerous, especially near the Finnegan Recreation Center where she and her daughter often play.

  • The protesters were arrested on Thursday, February 6, 2026 after standing on the construction site for over an hour.

The players

Maggie Foster

A resident who lives a block away from the planned CHOP parking garage site, and is worried the added traffic and pollution will make the neighborhood more dangerous for her young daughter.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

The organization building the new parking garage in the Grays Ferry neighborhood of Philadelphia.

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What they’re saying

“It's going to bring a lot of extra cars and pollution right next to the place where we are all the time.”

— Maggie Foster, Resident

“Surely they could work something out where it's not directly across from people's homes and a playground and a neighborhood that's already been through so much.”

— Maggie Foster, Resident

“Children's Hospital of Philadelphia remains committed to engaging with the residents of Grays Ferry to understand and address their feedback. We take all concerns from residents incredibly seriously as we look to support CHOP's growing patient and staff needs.”

— CHOP Spokesperson (whyy.org)

What’s next

The judge will decide on whether to allow the three protesters arrested to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This dispute over the new CHOP parking garage highlights the ongoing tensions between development and community concerns about pollution and gentrification in the Grays Ferry neighborhood, which has a history of dealing with industrial pollution issues.