PLAN THE RIVER

HERE'S HOW we know that the PennPraxis planning process for the Delaware waterfront is not your average Philadelphia project: Not only have they invited input from the people who live here - hundreds have attended walks, sessions, and public meetings to share their hopes for the riverfront - but Praxis has invited input from people who don't actually live here.

This Saturday, PennPraxis, the clinical arm of Penn's school of design that was hired by executive order to create a plan for the riverfront, is convening a panel of planners, architects and experts from Philadelphia and around the country, many of whom have faced similar challenges in developing their own waterfronts.

In addition to Clark Manus, a San Francisco architect who helped rebuild part of the city after the Loma Prieta earthquake, the experts hail from Portland, Seattle, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C.

Hearing "best practices" from out-of-town experts is a rare opportunity for us in Philadelphia to get a new perspective on the possibilities for our own waterfront. The public is invited to attend this day long session at the Seaport Museum, but you must register in advance. Go to www.planphilly.com or call 215-573-8720. *