Spring/Summer 2008
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www.dcva.org Spring, Summer 2008 President’s Pen: 24th Annual Darby Creek/Cobbs Creek View from the Stream Bank Cleanup Scheduled for April 26 As I write, March is displaying its characteristic indecision about spring. Once again it is that time of year when DCVA members come Yesterday began with a chilly wind and out in droves to clean up the Darby Creek. This will be the 24th snow flurries, then gradually warmed year for this, our signature event. Last year about 650 people and cleared to an afternoon sunbath. collected about 25 tons of material! To accomplish this again this Overnight, the temperature dropped year, we need everyone’s help. A list of sites and captains is on again, and this morning saw a thin lay- er of ice coating the surface of ponds the next page—just chose a location near you and let the captain and vernal pools in the area. know that you are willing to work! Hopefully we will have good But there is no indecision on the weather, but we work rain or shine; dress appropriately (gloves are part of DCVA’s energetic and deter- important; waders are a plus). mined spring events leaders. They Note also the sponsors listed on the next page. Be sure to pa- have been in high gear for weeks, to bring about our signature springtime tronize businesses that contribute to our community in this way events: the StreamWatch program on and thank them for their support. If you or your business would April 19 and the watershed-wide Dar- like to be added to the list, contact our hardworking co-chairs, Jan by Creek Clean-up on the following and John Haigis at 610 583-0788; e-mail [email protected]. As Saturday, April 26. We greatly appre- they have told us, “We really live in a very beautiful area and this ciate Alan Samel’s expert leadership of the StreamWatch program. And we is a chance to really make a difference. It’s a lot of work but it’s marvel at the creativity and stamina also a lot of fun.” See for yourself on Saturday April 26th begin- with which Jan and John Haigis plan ning at 9 a.m. and coordinate the clean-up, and keep this year’s 34 captains in the loop. Beyond the immediate benefit that Annual StreamWatch Is April 19 these hands-on activities provide, they also advance the tremendously impor- By Alan Samel —Continued on Page 8 Ah, Spring is in the air, rain is in what the 2008 samples will look like. the gutters, and the bugs are starting to Because we spend a lot of time in Inside This Issue: crawl. But wait, that means that it must the water, don’t forget your waders. If be time for our annual DCVA Stream- you do not have a set, now is a really Cleanup Sites & Captains .................2 Watch! I never could get anything past good time to get a cheap pair. Cleanup Sponsors ..............................2 you guys....The annual StreamWatch is As always, we really need every- Greenway Plan for Watershed .........3 scheduled for Saturday April 19. As al- one’s help. Your energy powers this TAG Update ........................................3 ways, this is a rain or shine event. As project. The turn-out recently has been Grace Wheeler Obituary ...................3 always, we will start at Bartram Park great; there has been a lot of interest Ribbon of Green Awarded ................4 in Darby at 9:00 a.m. This year we will and a lot of people willing to help out. East Coast Greenway Report ...........4 have the same four sites we have been This is a really fun day for everyone. Single Stream Recycling Effort ........4 testing for, well, forever (not literally!). And I hope you can join us. Please call EAC Progress Report ........................5 The results from the samples we took 610 446-1658 for more information or Haverford State Update ....................6 last year were very encouraging; there to let me know if you can help. And Earth Day at the Grange ...................7 was an upturn in water quality at all if you know anyone new that might be Membership Form .............................9 sites. But one data point does not make interested, encourage him (or her) to a trend. So, it will be interesting to see join us. Spring, Summer 2008 2 The Valley - www.dcva.org Darby Creek Valley Association 2008 Watershed-Wide Darby/Cobbs Creek Cleanup Sites & Captains Saturday, April 26 9-1 (unless noted) To Volunteer, contact Site Captain below Briarcliff/Crescent Park: Lisa Simmonds (610) 237-1691 Upper Darby/ Collen Brook Farm – 3 sites: Bryn Mawr/Ithan Creek: Clyde Hunt (610) 449-9333; Barbara Marinelli Jan Marie and Alan Rushforth (610) 520-1968 Pilgrim Gardens Civic Assn (610) 449-0277; Tom Hamilton, Mansion Pk (610)789-5009 (pre-Apr 26) Clifton Heights/Kent Park to Swedish Cabin: Michael Wenk (610) 324-9350; Upper Darby/ Naylors Run/ Garrett Rd: Pete Leahy/Upper Darby Marines (610) 622-0320 Clifton Heights/Gillespie Park: Barbara Keffer (610) 853-6334 Yeadon/Cobbs Creek/65th & Chester: Co-Captains, Andrew Brazington (610) 622-2849, Cobbs Creek/Upper Darby: 10 am across from Vanessa Bullock (484) 410-4831 152 Glencoe Rd - Eliza Bronson (610) 352-5295 Collingdale Park/Jackson/Hermasproda: Joe Ciavarelli (610) 586-0500 Darby/Blue Bell on Cobbs Creek: 2008 DCVA Cleanup Sponsors Scott Maits, [email protected] Darby/Powell Park to Suplee Dam: Our thanks to the following DCVA Cleanup Place- Jan & John Haigis (610) 583-0788 map sponsors whose contributions covered the cost of our 2008 placemaps and t-shirts: Darby Creek Road near Marple Rd entrance to Benett’s Men’s Store, Darby Haverford State: Bob Stump (610) 449-2258 John M. Bergin, General Contractor, Secane Drexel Hill/ Idle Hour Tennis Club: Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau Terry Kane (610) 449-4411 Darby Community Development Corporation, Darby Kathy and Bob Doms and family, DCVA Board Glenolden – 2 Sites: Eastern Mountain Sports, Haverford Joe Dolan – (610) 583-7680; Jan and John Haigis, DCVA Board Girl Scouts, Mrs. Lowry Alvin Holm, AIA, Philadelphia Haverford/Glendale Park: Tim Denny (610) 446-9397 Robin Mann, President, DCVA Haverford Twp/Naylor’s Run/Bailey Park: The Radnor Conservancy Jean Marie Lorello, [email protected] Radnor Valley Country Club Jan Marie and Alan Rushforth, DCVA Board Haverford Twp/Cobbs Crk/Grange Estate: [on Apr 19] Andrew Saul, DCVA Board Roy Sandstrom (610) 446-9196 Sierra Club of Southeastern Pennsylvania Tinicum/Heinz Wildlife Refuge [on Apr 19, 8-12]: Sharon Savings Bank, Darby Mike McMenaman (215) 365-3118 Nancy Bonsall Shultz, descendant, Darby’s Bonsall settlers (1683) Lansdowne/Hoffman Park: (report to Jaclyn Rhoads, DCVA Board, Residential Mold Services Bonnie’s Wondergardens) Bonnie McShane (610) 259-1733, John Pecko (610) 453-7583 We also wish to thank the following agencies who Lansdowne/Pennock Terrace: Jack Kelly (610) 623-5156 provide supplies and in-kind services on behalf of the DCVA Cleanup every year: Delaware County Solid Marple: Bill Brainerd (610) 325-3127 Waste authority, Delaware County Community Ser- Morton/Stony Creek: Mario Cimino (610) 328-9698 vice Court, Delaware County Conservation District and Newtown Square/Fox Run: Marty Milligan (610) 353-7024 PennDOT. We also wish to acknowledge the help of the municipalities who regularly arrange for pick up of the Norwood/Morton Morton House: bagged and piled debris we collect in areas where we Judy Anastasi (610) 583-3002 can’t provide a dumpster. Radnor: Robin Mann (610) 527-4598 Thank you to all of our sponsors for your generous and continuing support of our efforts! Because of you Secane/Muckinapates: Jack Bergin (610) 761-7108 and our Cleanup captains and volunteers, the Darby Springfield Swim Club/Indian Rock Park: Creek Valley gets cleaner and healthier every year! Dave & Melanie Damon (610) 544-5432 The Valley - www.dcva.org 3 Spring, Summer 2008 Greenway Plan Update In Memoriam By Steven Beckley, Senior Planner Grace Russell Wheeler May 17, 1927 - March 26, 2008 The Delaware County Planning Department (DCPD) By Grace Sharples Cook has been proceeding with preparation of the Greenway Plan for the Darby Creek Watershed. A draft of the document is Grace Russell Wheeler, well underway. DCPD is being assisted with development of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylva- of the plan by a steering committee comprised of representa- nia, spent her childhood tives from watershed municipalities, the County Parks De- in Edgewater Park, New partment and Conservation District, and the Darby Creek Jersey, on the lip of the Valley Association (DCVA). Delaware in a house called The most recent Steering Committee meeting was held Neshaminy Hall. The river on January 15, 2008. The Committee was apprised of prog- was a delight to her; ships ress made over the past year on both the watershed-wide chugged by, and the un- greenway plan and the pilot segment area master plan for groomed wetlands in es- the Darby Creek Stream Valley Park. DCPD presented the tuarial waters built a keen four main types of greenways proposed in the plan. They awareness of nature. She include green connections, transit-oriented, road-based, and viewed herself as a tenant water trails. Draft maps showing the location of the 12 gre- in a long thread of humanity, and hoped to tread lightly on enway corridor segments were presented to the Commit- the natural world. tee. Her Father, Norman F.S. Russell, was the President of DCPD’s consultant, Urban Research and Development U.S. Pipe and Foundry, a Fortune 500 corporation. As a life- Corporation (URDC), has completed a first draft of the long trustee of Jefferson University and a director the First Stream Valley Park Master Plan; it is in the process of being Pennsylvania Company, he was heavily involved in the civic edited.