Friends of Glen Providence Park https://glenprovidencepark.org Preserving and enhancing Delaware County's oldest park Tue, 20 Aug 2024 02:47:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 9-14-2024 Our final concert! https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/08/19/9-14-2024-our-final-concert-celebration/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/08/19/9-14-2024-our-final-concert-celebration/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2024 02:47:21 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9234 Gumbo Nouveau

Join us for our celebratory final concert in Glen Providence Park! As we announced this spring, Friends of Glen Providence Park is working to wind down our organization by the end of 2024. After thirteen years of programming, including dozens of wonderful concerts, this will be our last performance at the stage. We‘re planning a festive […]]]>
Gumbo Nouveau

Join us for our celebratory final concert in Glen Providence Park! As we announced this spring, Friends of Glen Providence Park is working to wind down our organization by the end of 2024. After thirteen years of programming, including dozens of wonderful concerts, this will be our last performance at the stage.

Were planning a festive affair to celebrate our thirteen years of events, education, advocacy, and stewardship in Glen Providence Park!

Enjoy an afternoon performance at the historical concert stage, then walk two blocks into town for dinner and shopping on State Street. Check out our full poster below…

 

Mark your calendars:

New Orleans & Caribbean Music with Gumbo Nouveau, featuring Nadine Lafond!
Saturday, September 14, 5:00-6:30pm
rain date Sunday, September 15

At the Glen Providence Park stage
Main entrance, 550 W. State St., Media, PA

Gumbo Nouveau is a Philadelphia-based band that performs music rooted in the traditions of New Orleans and Caribbean jazz. Their sound incorporates elements of traditional jazz, second line, reggae, calypso, samba, South African jazz, Afrobeat, and more. Featured vocalist Nadine LaFond’s unique sound is informed by her Haitian American heritage.

Thank you:

Thank you to our Summer Concert Sponsors Media Recreation BoardState Street Pub, Seven Stones Gallery, and Shere-e-Punjab; and to Delaware County Parks & Recreationwithout whose support these concerts would not be possible. 

General Logistics:

  • As with every event we have presented for thirteen years(!), this is free and family-friendly!
  • Concert is at the Glen Providence Park Stage, downhill from the main entrance on State Street in Media. For Google Maps, use 550 West State Street, Media.
  • Rain date is Sunday, September 15. If the rain date is used, the decision will be posted by 2:00pm Saturday on our website and Facebook. 
  • Seating is on the lawn – bring your blanket or chair!
  • There is a parking lot at the State Street entrance and along State Street and West Street.
  • We encourage you to walk or take public transportation: the main entrance is just 2 blocks from the end of the Media trolley line, or less than a .6 mile walk from the Media train station.

Further reading…

Concert poster
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Third Street Bridge: Design Considerations https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/08/19/third-street-bridge-design-considerations/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/08/19/third-street-bridge-design-considerations/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2024 01:37:38 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9246 Representatives from the Friends of Glen Providence Park spoke at the July 18 Media Borough Council meeting about the Third Street Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge Project. A summary of our comments is below and in a pdf at the bottom, along with links to further information. Although our organization is dissolving at the end of 2024, Glen Providence Park remains a gem worth protecting.

——————

Friends of Glen Providence Park started in July 2011 in response to the threat from the proposed replacement of a high-hazard dam and vehicular road at Third Street, which would have destroyed 1.1 serene and wooded acres of the park. We advocated extensively for 12 years to minimize harm to the glen’s woods, wetlands, plants, and wildlife. As the dam has been removed, and Media Borough currently plans a pedestrian-bicycle bridge at Third Street – with stream restoration upstream at Broomall’s Lake Country Club (BLCC) –  we have the following observations, concerns, and requests: 

Broomall’s Run is a connected ecosystem, encompassing Broomall’s Lake Country Club upstream and Glen Providence Park downstream: 

  • Project will impact water quality and  stream health in the park, and its 19 reptile & amphibian, 130 bird, and 58+ tree species 
  • The park’s acre abutting the bridge is a rich habitat with  natural springs, seeps, and wetlands, and 76 mature trees
  • County’s Conservation Easement with BLCC – meant to protect the connected ecosystem and the park – is not mentioned in the contractors’ proposals and should be prioritized

Glen Providence Park is a historic and natural resource for Delaware County, Media Borough, and Upper Providence: 

  • Donated in 1935 as a bird sanctuary and arboretum
  • Structures and trails built by  Works Progress Administration 
  • Park determined eligible for National Historic Register in 2002 
  • This historic and natural setting should be reflected in the project design

Borough stormwater management and resulting erosion: 

  • Stream erosion from stormwater runoff at Third Street is arguably one of the biggest current threats to the park
  • The resulting large downed trees and undercut trails and streambanks create environmental and safety issues
  • This critically important issue, which is omitted from the project parameters for the Third Street Bridge, should be addressed

The Third Street Project is a state-funded transportation project, with PennDOT requiring:

  • Analysis of alternative designs based on minimizing harm to adjacent park
  • Public participation in design reviews

PennDOT’s definition of Key Stakeholders:

  • Extends beyond property owners
  • Includes environmental advocates, park and trail users
  • Considers the plant and animal life in the project area

Public input is valuable:

  • Offers resources, perspective and experience
  • Fosters public support during construction
  • Informs project manager’s expectations of professional team

The public should be regularly updated on the project progress, timeline, and the contractors’ monthly status reports through:

  • Borough Website and newsletter
  • Council Workshop or Legislative Meetings
  • Special Public Hearings 

——————

 

There is much more information about the Third Street Project on our website:

Look for developments over the next 18 to 24 months on the Media Borough website:

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Spring Newsletter: Join us as we celebrate our final year! 💚 https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/04/13/spring-newsletter-join-us-as-we-celebrate-our-final-year-%f0%9f%92%9a/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/04/13/spring-newsletter-join-us-as-we-celebrate-our-final-year-%f0%9f%92%9a/#comments Sat, 13 Apr 2024 16:00:29 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9218

Our newsletter sent to our supporters on Friday, April 12. You can also view it in your browser here.

View this email in your browser
Spring 2024 Newsletter
Join us as we celebrate our final year!

You read that correctly — 2024 will be our final year as an organization. After thirteen busy, immersive, rewarding years of volunteer work, the Board of the Friends of Glen Providence Park is retiring. As we move into other chapters in our lives, we no longer have the hours each week required for the behind-the-scenes work to run the organization with all the care and attention it deserves. We plan to close Friends of Glen Providence Park as an organization later this year, after we take time to celebrate this beautiful county park and the work we have done to preserve and enhance it.

It is with a mixture of sadness, pride, and gratitude that we do this. Sadness to bring these wonderful, hard-working years to a close,  pride in the renewed attention and appreciation we have brought to Glen Providence Park in the local community and in Delaware County, and gratitude for all of our volunteers, allies, and supporters… without YOU we would have accomplished nothing. 

We invite you to join us as we celebrate our history with a final round of seasonal events, including park stewardship, a nature walk, a concert, and our year-round Friday morning Conservation Crew, all detailed at the end of this newsletter. 

There are still ways to volunteer with Friends of Glen Providence Park this year — just reply to this email to get involved!

Looking Back…

Our efforts started in July 2011 in response to the threat from the proposed replacement of a high-hazard dam and vehicular road at Third Street, which would have destroyed 1.1 serene and wooded acres of the park, including wetlands and 76 mature trees. We advocated extensively both to minimize harm to the glen’s woods, wetlands, plants, and wildlife, and for a community conversation about the proposed project — a conversation which repeatedly endorsed dam removal and a pedestrian/bicycle-only bridge.

Our activities quickly expanded to nature walks, volunteer days, Citizen Science projects, historical research, native tree plantings, summer concerts, and much more, with free and family-­friendly monthly events for over a decade!

Perhaps most importantly, we worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the ecological and historical importance of this hidden gem, singing its praises from the rooftops to elected officials, state regulatory agencies, and area residents. We engaged community volunteers, Scouts troops, naturalists, sister organizations, and the County in working with us to preserve and enhance the historic and natural resource of Delaware County’s oldest park — which was founded in 1935 as a Bird Sanctuary and Arboretum. It is with the help of innumerable individuals like you that we were able to make a difference! 

This is just skimming the surface – we encourage you to look through our 10th Anniversary Report, with concise bulleted summaries and photographs capturing the essence of the park, its history, and our first decade of work in it! (sample page at end of email)

Click to read our 10th Anniversary Report

… Looking Ahead 

It is our intention to thoughtfully transfer programming and stewardship of the park to appropriate parties. We plan to preserve the extensive historical and ecological information about Glen Providence Park we have gathered so it can be accessed  and referenced in the future.

We hope the hundreds of native trees and shrubs we planted continue to provide food and habitat for birds, caterpillars, and pollinators. It is also our hope that in 50 and 100 years, some of those trees have grown to majestic heights. 

We believe that Glen Providence Park is a treasure worth protecting — for wildlife habitat, plant diversity, and water quality — and for the enjoyment and respite it provides us today and for future generations. Our children and grandchildren deserve to enjoy “the beauty, the quietness, and the nameless charm” of this valley that T. Chalkley Palmer wrote about in 1889.

 

We hope the community continues to value
and take care of Glen Providence Park
in the decades and centuries to come!

 

Please reply to this email with any questions, to share your favorite memories of the park, or to volunteer!

Volunteers at the CRC Streams Cleanup on Saturday, March 16
2024 Events

Our final round of seasonal events, starting with last month’s CRC Cleanup, shown above!
 
Winter: At the CRC Streams Cleanup in March, we demonstrated the cumulative impact our dedicated volunteers have made through the years. At our early cleanups, we tended to get over 10 bags of trash, with a wide variety of large items from tires to barrels to baseball bats. Our 24 volunteers found nothing like that this year, and we collected just 4 bags of trash!

Spring: Join us on Saturday, May 11, for a Spring Flora & Fauna Walk with Samantha Nestory! That’s 10:00-11:30am, rain or shine. Registration is required, with a limit of 20 people – just reply to this email to register! 

Summer: Celebrate with us at our final concert on Saturday, September 14! It will be our last call to “Bring a blanket or chair, and relax on the lawn by the historical stage for a late afternoon concert…” We’re planning a festive affair – we hope you can join us!

Fall: At our final National Public Lands Day on Saturday, October 5, we’ll continue our care and maintenance of the hundreds(!) of trees and shrubs we have planted over the past 13 years, and free from deer fencing those plants that have grown large enough.

YEAR-ROUND: On Friday mornings, our fabulous Conservation Crew removes invasive plants and works on other projects to support native plants and wildlife in the park. Just reply to this email to join us!  

●●●

Other wonderful organizations and commissions do great work around town! Here are two upcoming examples:
  • Next Saturday, April 20, Media Borough’s Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) and Media Recreation Board (Media Rec) are holding an Earth Day Cleanup. Click here for the flyer with more information!
  • On Saturday, May 18, there will be a Pollinator Fest to kick off the Media Garden Tour. This is an amazing collaboration of the EAC, Media Rec, Transition Town Greater Media, Media Bee City, and the Green Wagon Project. Stay tuned for more information!
We’ll share more about our events in our final newsletters. You can continue to find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and our website.
 
We hope to see you this  year – and in future years – in Glen Providence Park! 

In gratitude, 
Stephanie Gaboriault, Marcia Tate, Holly Hoffmann,
Lisa Johnson, Linda Emory & Charles Randall

 
Sample from our 10th Anniversary Report – click here to read the rest!
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]]> https://glenprovidencepark.org/2024/04/13/spring-newsletter-join-us-as-we-celebrate-our-final-year-%f0%9f%92%9a/feed/ 1 Celebrate the Park’s 88th Birthday! https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/09/29/celebrate-the-parks-88th-birthday/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/09/29/celebrate-the-parks-88th-birthday/#respond Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:48:47 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9193

Halloween🎃, October 31, 2023, marks the 88th birthday of Glen Providence Park! Would you help us celebrate Delaware County’s oldest park with a donation to Friends of Glen Providence Park?

Founded as a bird sanctuary and arboretum in 1935, Glen Providence Park remains a 33-acre haven for people and wildlife alike, amidst ongoing development of open space in Media Borough, Kirk Road and throughout the county. We need Glen Providence Park today more than ever.

SInce July 2011, the intrepid volunteers of Friends of Glen Providence Park have been working to preserve and enhance this natural and historic resource that is so accessible to Media and Upper Providence Residents. 

Please, help us continue our activities that benefit the park and the community:

  • citizen advocacy for the park land, water and wildlife
  • free nature appreciation and education walks
  • free and family-friendly Arts in the Park concerts
  • citizen science projects such as water studies and Christmas Bird Count
  • volunteer historical research, documentation and preservation

As public funding shifts, we need your support more than ever to continue our native tree plantings, trail maintenance and Arts in the Park. If you’ve enjoyed the park, and especially if you’ve participated in a Friends of Glen Providence Park event, please donate today!

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10-7-2023 Join Us for National Public Lands Day! https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/09/13/10-7-2019-plantings-for-national-public-lands-day/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/09/13/10-7-2019-plantings-for-national-public-lands-day/#respond Wed, 13 Sep 2023 13:17:42 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9144

For National Public Lands Day*, Friends of Glen Providence Park will again plant native trees and shrubs in the glen, this time on the Mountain Laurel Trail. This is our 11th annual NPLD project, working to improve wildlife habitat, reduce erosion, and beautify the park! 

Native Tree & Shrub Planting on the Mountain Laurel Trail!

Saturday, October 7
Rain date Sunday, October 8
9:00am-12:00 noon
Glen Providence Park – Main entrance
State Street

Our planting day is one of our most popular and fun events, and we are a part of the largest nationwide volunteer effort for public lands! We are incredibly grateful to Delaware County Parks & Recreation for providing funds for this project, and to the Delaware County Conservation District for the use of its Conservation Planting Trailer and supplies.

To help us plan our time effectively, and to plan for refreshments, we ask that you RSVP for this event – please let us know the number of volunteers in your party.

Volunteering details:

We will update this description as we identify other relevant details for volunteers, and we will email registered volunteers with more details and logistics.

Estimated time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Lunch and drinks will be provided for registered volunteers.

Activities will include:

  • digging holes for the trees and shrubs
  • planting trees and shrubs
  • installing deer protection around trees and shrubs
  • watering as needed

More logistics:

  • We will provide the equipment, including shovels, spades, rakes, and wheelbarrows – but if you have favorite tools, feel free to bring them! If you do bring your own tools, please label them with your name.
  • Bring work gloves if you have them.

Rain plan:
Our rain date is Sunday, October is 8 at 9:00 am. If the weather is not clear, we will post here and on our facebook wall by 8:45 am Saturday advising whether we will use the rain date.

Thank you, we hope to see you on National Public Lands Day!

Enjoy a gallery of past NPLD days in the park!

*National Public Lands Day is held this year on September 23rd, but we are celebrating two weeks later.

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Third Street Bridge to be Pedestrian-Bicycle Only https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/06/16/third-street-bridge-to-be-pedestrian-bicycle-only/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/06/16/third-street-bridge-to-be-pedestrian-bicycle-only/#respond Fri, 16 Jun 2023 18:25:34 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9132 Media Borough Council has decided to pursue a redesign of the Third Street bridge as a pedestrian and bicycle-only bridge in the wake of the conservation easement of 4 acres of BLCC land (and the end of the road for an unnecessary high-hazard dam). Friends of Glen Providence Park is pleased with this decision as it will have the least impact on the 33-acre county park in the short and long term.

The decision, which was announced last night at their June 15th meeting, followed a review of cost estimates, consultation with first responders and in-house professionals, and previous community surveys. Borough Council will work with state agencies, representatives of Delaware County and Broomall’s Lake Country Club to develop a preliminary design all can agree on. The public will be invited to comment following the presentation of the design which may take up to 24 months.

Borough Council will additionally seek the services of an environmental professional to advise on the restoration of Broomall’s Run stream, particularly the methods used to slow the stream following the removal of the remnants of the dam. Friends of Glen Providence Park and Media Borough’s own Environmental Advisory Council had requested this independent environmental review. Friends of Glen Providence Park believes a streamside forest buffer may be the most natural and cost-effective solution.

While the road ahead has many considerations, Friends of Glen Providence Park applauds this decision for an environmentally-sensitive connection between Media and Upper Providence. We still believe a participatory process with the public will help this pedestrian-bicycle bridge fit the vision of the Media-UP community and become a celebrated success.

Background:

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State Street Entrance Sidewalk Project Nears Completion https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/06/14/main-street-entrance-sidewalk-project-nears-completion/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/06/14/main-street-entrance-sidewalk-project-nears-completion/#respond Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:19:05 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9123

Media Borough, with participation from PennDOT’s Cultural Resources Management, has undertaken a revision of the sidewalks at the main State Street entrance of Glen Providence Park. Attention was paid to replicate the original slate pavers while updating the infrastructure and maintaining the historical bluestone walls, built in the 1930s through the WPA. We’re grateful for […]]]>

Media Borough, with participation from PennDOT’s Cultural Resources Management, has undertaken a revision of the sidewalks at the main State Street entrance of Glen Providence Park. Attention was paid to replicate the original slate pavers while updating the infrastructure and maintaining the historical bluestone walls, built in the 1930s through the WPA. We’re grateful for this update in advance of the summer season at Glen Providence Park. 

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2023 Arts in the Park! https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/05/03/2023-arts-in-the-park/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/05/03/2023-arts-in-the-park/#respond Wed, 03 May 2023 20:01:46 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9065

Announcing… Friends of Glen Providence Park’s 2023 free summer concerts right in Media, PA! For our eleventh year of performances we offer musical variety with a Classical Flute Ensemble; New and Used Vintage Blues; Sacred Sounds; and Roots Music Panorama! Enjoy an afternoon performance on the lawn in front of the historical concert stage, then walk […]]]>

Announcing… Friends of Glen Providence Park’s 2023 free summer concerts right in Media, PA! For our eleventh year of performances we offer musical variety with a Classical Flute Ensemble; New and Used Vintage Blues; Sacred Sounds; and Roots Music Panorama!

Enjoy an afternoon performance on the lawn in front of the historical concert stage, then walk two blocks into town for dinner and shopping on State Street. Check out our full poster below!


Mark your calendars!

Flute with Faith and Friends – Enchanting Classical Ensemble
Saturday, June 24

The Johns – New & Used Vintage Blues
Saturday, July 15

Gong with the Didge – Sacred Sounds
Saturday, August 12

Brian Kors and the Lone Star Revue – Roots Music Panorama
Saturday, September 16

At the Glen Providence Park stage
Main entrance, 550 W. State St., Media, PA
Saturdays: 5:00-6:30pm
with Sunday rain dates


Thank you:

This summer’s Arts in the Park was made possible by funding from Program Stream, a grant initiative of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts that is regionally administered by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Thank you to our Summer Series Sponsors Media Recreation Board ; Performance Sponsors Sterling Pig Brewery, Seven Stones Gallery, State Street Pub, and Shere-e-Punjab; and to Delaware County Parks & Recreationwithout whose support these concerts would not be possible. 


General Logistics:

  • Free and family-friendly!
  • Performances are at the Glen Providence Park Stage, downhill from the main entrance on State Street in Media.
  • Rain dates are the Sunday after each scheduled performance. If the rain date is used, the decision will be posted by 2:00pm Saturday on our website and Facebook. Updated to 2:00 as of our July concert.
  • Seating is on the lawn – bring your blanket or chair!
  • There is a parking lot at the State Street entrance and along State Street and West Street.
  • We encourage you to walk or take public transportation: the main entrance is just 2 blocks from the end of the Media trolley line, or less than a .6 mile walk from the Media train station.

More details on each performance coming soon!

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Position Regarding Third Street Project https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/04/14/position-regarding-3rd-street-project/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/04/14/position-regarding-3rd-street-project/#respond Sat, 15 Apr 2023 01:02:01 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9059

Friends of Glen Providence Park welcomes the finalized conservation easement agreement between Delaware County and Broomall’s Lake Country Club.  With the replacement of the dam and two lane roadway no longer required, Media Borough and Upper Providence residents are free to pursue a 21st century connection between the two communities. Research suggests a pedestrian/bicycle greenway […]]]>

Friends of Glen Providence Park welcomes the finalized conservation easement agreement between Delaware County and Broomall’s Lake Country Club. 

With the replacement of the dam and two lane roadway no longer required, Media Borough and Upper Providence residents are free to pursue a 21st century connection between the two communities.

Research suggests a pedestrian/bicycle greenway would have the least negative impact on the park’s ecosystem and would provide the safest access for park users

Friends of Glen Providence Park looks forward to participating in the site development plans and are asking for assurances that future construction and management of the area meet regulatory requirements, as well as best environmental practices. 

This includes obtaining the services of a professional team most able to restore and protect Broomall’s Run and to collaborate with the County’s efforts in the adjacent conservation area. 

March 2023


Elevated Greenbridge across the Stones River Greenway; by Casey Fleser

Research suggests a pedestrian/bicycle greenway would have the least negative impact on the park’s ecosystem and would provide the safest access for park users


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Spring 2023 Newsletter https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/03/15/spring-2023-newsletter/ https://glenprovidencepark.org/2023/03/15/spring-2023-newsletter/#respond Wed, 15 Mar 2023 12:48:57 +0000 https://glenprovidencepark.org/?p=9041 Meet our new Interim President, learn what’s going on down at the pond, and sign up for our Spring Events!

View this email in your browser
Spring 2023 Newsletter 
Spring is coming, with early signs popping up all over the park! In this newsletter: introducing our new Interim President, updates on the pond, and some exciting spring events, with the 25th annual CRC Watersheds Cleanup at the end of the month. Registration is required by March 19, so don’t delay! All our events are free and family-friendly, as they have been since 2011. ☘
You may have read in the last newsletter that our intrepid founder and President, Stephanie Gaboriault, is taking a sabbatical, hiking the Appalachian Trail! The organization is in capable hands with an experienced board including Vice President Marcia Tate, and a new Interim President, Linda Emory.  Linda has been a long-time volunteer and committee member of Friends of Glen Providence Park, and we are grateful for this next level of her service.

Linda says: 
The pandemic in 2020 underscored the value of Glen Providence Park as a necessary retreat for area residents. I was one of many who volunteered in the park – removing invasives, monitoring stream health and planting native species. We were joined by bird watchers, musicians and artists, families and wildlife all enjoying the new quiet. I am grateful for the opportunity to step in during (founding president)  Stephanie Gaboriault’s much-deserved sabbatical. I look forward to continuing to work with the individuals and groups who have become park allies.

The Glen Providence Pond

In February, representatives from Delaware County Public Works, Conservation District, and Parks & Recreation met with members of the Friends of Glen Providence Park to discuss the future of the pond, located at the bottom of the sledding hill.

With the recent signing of a conservation easement preventing the construction of a new dam upstream, it is time to investigate the best long term solution for the pond. Friends of Glen Providence support a well-planned and environmentally sound approach to the sensitive aquatic ecosystem of the park, including the pond and Broomall’s Run upstream and downstream.



The pond was created in 1936 when the Works Progress Administration diverted a portion of Broomall’s Run through an underground pipe. The newly created pond, often called “Mirror Lake” was a destination for area families. It was surrounded by electric lights and used for fishing and ice skating. 

By the 1980’s the pond had silted in and was significantly less deep. The county brought in equipment and dredged it to a depth of about eight feet. For many years, the pond flourished with a variety of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals, such as this Great Blue Heron.



The pond is once again silted in and out of balance, filled with sediment from upstream erosion and stormwater runoff. Nitrate and phosphorus pollution encourages plant life that covers the surface, sinks to the bottom and rots. The shallow water results in higher temperatures and less oxygen, which stresses much of the aquatic wildlife. This is a typical cycle for man-made (and some natural) ponds.

Volunteers with Friends of Glen Providence Park have collaborated with County personnel for over 10 years to keep the pipe free from debris, to construct a sandbag dam, and to stabilize the stream banks, which are severely eroded in places. 

After our meeting, Delaware County Public Works reported that they will retain a hydrologist as “the first step in understanding the conditions of the site and the strategy to address the erosion along the stream bed and the existing man-made pond.” It is hoped that the study will begin in late summer and the report completed by early Spring 2024.

We are grateful that the county is taking this important step in determining the best long-term, sustainable, ecological solution for the pond and stream.

Check out our photos of the pond over the years on Flickr!

Regional Event
CRC Streams Cleanup

Saturday, March 25, 9am-11:30am
Rain, snow, or shine * 

Main entrance – 525 West Street, Media
Registration required on CRC Website

Join us in helping with CRC Watersheds’ 25th Annual Streams Cleanup! Volunteers will remove trash in Broomall’s Run in Glen Providence Park, and be part of a regional cleanup at more than 30 sites!
Registration closes March 19th! 

LOGISTICS:

  • Register here, choose site #245
  • Free!
  • Meet at the main entrance on West State Street
  • Estimated time: 2.5 hours
  • Gloves and garbage bags are provided. Wear boots or other sturdy and possibly waterproof footwear.
  • Be prepared for stream crossings, steep hills, and uneven (possibly muddy) terrain.

Forest Therapy Walk
Saturday, April 15
, 10:00am -12:00pm
Rain date Sunday April 16, 10-12  
Main entrance – 525 West Street, Media
Registration required – limited to 10


Experience springtime in Glen Providence Park in a whole new way! Forest Therapy is inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, translated as “forest bathing,” which is a science-informed method to bask in the beneficial chemicals of the natural world — reducing stress hormones, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, and boosting immune response and creativity. In this style of Forest Therapy, one reaps all the aforementioned therapeutic health benefits of forest bathing (no swimming actually), while also being invited to slow down and reconnect with nature, yourself and others. Even if you’re very familiar with Glen Providence Park, you may encounter the park with fresh eyes while participating in a forest therapy walk. The walk is guided by Shannon Robards, a guide with the Association for Nature and Forest Therapy, naturalist and longtime friend of Glen Providence Park.

LOGISTICS:

  • Main Street entrance
  • Strict attendance limit of 10 people – please register here, or email us at friendsoftheglen [AT] gmail [DOT] com
  • This particular walk is not suited for young children. Youths 12 and up are welcome, accompanied by an adult.
  • Max distance: 1-1.5 miles
  • Estimated time: 2-2.5 hours
  • Free!
  • Forest therapy walks are slow and are appropriate for all fitness levels. However, be prepared for steep hills, and uneven (possibly wet) terrain: wear appropriate footwear, bring a hiking pole if you use one, and something to sit on (a portable stool or mat) if you would like.

Weekend Trail Crew
Saturday, April 29
, 9:30-11:30am
Rain date Sunday April 30, 9:30-11:30am
Kirk Road Entrance at 3rd Street
Groups welcome – pre-registration required


Join us for a Weekend Trail Crew to beautify Glen Providence Park! Our Friday morning volunteer Conservation Crew works year-round to improve wildlife habitat in the glen, but not everyone is available weekday mornings… we’ll have projects lined up for this weekend work day! Led by Aura Lester and our Conservation Crew.

LOGISTICS:

  • Pre-registration is required, using this link, or email us at friendsoftheglen [AT] gmail [DOT] com
  • Location: Kirk Road entrance at 3rd Street (parking available).
  • Rain date Sunday, April 30 – in the event of stormy weather or high winds, registered participants will be notified by email if we decide to use the rain date.
  • Gloves and bags will be provided.
  • We recommend long pants and long sleeves to protect against poison ivy and ticks.

ICMYI – County Conservation Agreement
SAVES 1.1 Acres of Glen Providence Park and preserves 4 adjacent acres upstream!

In a victory twelve years in the making, we are thrilled to share that Delaware County Council and Broomall’s Swim Club have reached an agreement to preserve 4 acres of Broomall’s property, which will end the requirement to build a dam, thus preserving 1.1 acres of Glen Providence Park that was threatened due to the reconstruction of this high-hazard dam. We are so grateful to all the volunteers, activists, and public servants who have worked to prioritize the preservation of Glen Providence Park and to protect more of Media’s dwindling open green space!

Read all about it on our website!

2023 Events!

Our 2023 Friends of Glen Providence Park events include nature walks, volunteer days, citizen science, and  Arts in the Park!  All of our events are free and family-friendly. We also have a regular Friday morning Conservation Crew – just reply to this email to join us. The 2023 Schedule of Events is on our website, with a few details to be filled in…
Stay safe and well, everyone! You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and our website to stay posted.

Happy Spring!

 
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