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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: 

Environmental & Historical Considerations

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

Design Process & Public Participation

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 

We ask that Media Borough Council actively consider and protect Glen Providence Park in the design and construction of the Third Street Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge.

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You can view and download our handout below.

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

• Background and updates: https://glenprovidencepark.org/3rd-street-bridge-dam/
• Articles in our Dam/Bridge Category: https://glenprovidencepark.org/category/3rd-street-dam-bridge-media/

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

• Third Street Status Reports: https://www.mediaborough.com/336/Third-Street-Status-Reports
• Third Street Pedestrian Bridge Information: https://www.mediaborough.com/337/Third-Street-Pedestrian-Bridge-Informati

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:

• History of the Third Street dam/bridge
• Roads have significant negative environmental and human health impacts
• Building more roads to ease traffic has the opposite effect within 5 years
• Green spaces and green gathering areas increase human mental and physical health, strengthen communities and benefit the other-than-human environment, while boosting economic activity and increasing home values
• Environmentally-sensitive growth is supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency, who terms it “Smart Growth” and has a national initiative

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

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. 

The conservation easement revokes a previous 2011 stipulation agreement which required replacement of both the deteriorated dam and two lane roadway, with a return of vehicular traffic.  

Under the previous stipulation, the private country club would have kept their lake, Media Borough would have maintained the roadway and the County would have kept the significantly larger dam free from vegetation. The dam reconstruction project would have required the permanent removal of over 70 mature trees and buried sensitive ecosystems and wetlands in the adjacent Glen Providence Park. It would also have returned heavy car traffic to the northern end of the park, including both the Kirk Lane and Third Street entrances.

Media Borough continues responsibility for managing the multi-million dollar project, largely paid for with Pennsylvania tax dollars. The required state permits for the project were delayed due to the anticipated harm to the park and the lack of an entity willing to be responsible owner for the proposed high hazard dam. 

Friends of Glen Providence Park looks forward to seeing the site development plans referenced in the Conservation Easement agreement, and we will share them with you when we can. We are asking for assurances that future construction and management of the area meets regulatory requirements, as well as best environmental practices. 

Friends of Glen Providence Park will continue to monitor the water quality of Broomall’s Run and advocate for protection of the area’s ecosystem. We will also advocate for continued community involvement in designing a new connection between Media Borough and Upper Providence Township.

Visit our “Nature” tab to explore the wildlife of the park, or check out all the species of birds and trees found so far in the park! Learn about the historical springs in the 1.1 acre! If you dare, read about the saga of Broomall’s Dam, abandoned since the 1990s but subject to years of litigation and dispute.

At their October 6, 2021 legislative meeting, Delaware County Council announced an ordinance to take 4.7 acres of the Broomall’s Lake Country Club’s property, bordering the northern edge of Glen Providence Park, by eminent domain. Ordinance # 2021-10 references acquiring “private property for the purpose of establishing, making, enlarging, extending, operating and maintaining public parks and multiuse trails within the limits of the county.”  The 4.7 acres include the footprint of the former Broomall’s Dam, which was partially removed by the PA Department of Environmental Protection in 2017 for safety reasons. Issues surrounding the ownership and maintenance of Broomall’s Dam have been ongoing since the dam was declared unsafe by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1980. 

Glen Providence was the first park owned by Delaware County – it was donated in 1935 by George and Eleanor Butler to establish a Bird Sanctuary & Arboretum. Glen Providence was constructed by the Works Progress Administration, and it was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Friends of Glen Providence Park, an all-volunteer non-profit organization, formed in 2011 in response to the threat to the northern end of the park from the planned Broomall’s Dam reconstruction, which would destroy over an acre of Glen Providence including wetlands, stream, and 76 mature trees. That acre is a valuable wildlife corridor, and harmful impacts from the project would continue downstream through the park.

In addition to many hours spent in research and advocacy to minimize destruction to Glen Providence Park from that project, we have volunteered many thousands of hours to preserve and enhance this historical 33-acre park, including free and family-friendly monthly events, native tree plantings, cleanups, historical research, nature walks, and summer concerts. Through citizen science projects, we have documented over 200 plant and animal species including 19 reptiles and amphibians, more than 58 trees, dozens of plants, and 129 birds. Many of those are in the acre that would be destroyed by the reconstruction of Broomall’s Dam, including some Pennsylvania-rare and sensitive species. 

We look forward to learning more about the County’s plans for this area. We hope the 4.7 acres in Ordinance 2021-10 can create a natural buffer for Glen Providence Park, and protect its trees, wetlands, and stream, with all of the native plants and wildlife that make it their home. 

County Council will conduct a second reading of the ordinance and hold a public hearing to solicit comment from Delaware County Residents at their Legislative Meeting on Wednesday, October 20 at 6pm.

UPDATE on Tuesday, October 19, 2021: At this morning’s County Council Agenda meeting, it was reported that the County is in productive discussions with the landowner (Broomall’s Lake Country Club), and that a two-week delay may help achieve a resolution without the use of eminent domain. County Council voted to REMOVE the vote on Ordinance 2021-10 from the agenda for Wednesday, October 20. There was discussion about having the second reading and vote on Ordinance 2021-10 at the next legislative meeting on Wednesday, November 3.

UPDATE on Monday, November 1, 2021: Ordinance 2021-10 is not on the agenda for the County Council legislative meeting on Wednesday, November 3. We presume discussions with the landowner are continuing.

UPDATE on Wednesday, December 1, 2021: Ordinance 2021-10 was not back on the agenda until this week, when it was on the preliminary agenda for December 1 — but at the Agenda meeting, County Council again tabled it due to “successful negotiations with (BLCC) that will meet the County’s goals.” It was indicated that the vote will not be tabled again past the next Legislative meeting. So at the December 15 Legislative meeting, there should either be a report of a settlement with BLCC, or a second vote on eminent domain. 

UPDATE on Tuesday, December 14, 2021: Things are not finalized, but it was reported at this morning’s Agenda meeting  that BLCC and the County have “reached an agreement” and “signed a Letter of Intent” that “resolves the dam issue.” The agreement is to sell a Conservation Easement to Delaware County and “end current litigation” (the 2011 Stipulation Agreement) which had required the reconstruction of a dam with a two-way road.

UPDATE on Tuesday, February 15, 2022: The first reading of a new Eminent Domain Ordinance 2022-2 is on the agenda for tomorrow’s County Council meeting. At this morning’s Agenda meeting, County Solicitor Bill Martin explained that the ordinance is substantively the same as Ordinance 2021-10, which was initiated on October 6, 2021. A new ordinance is necessary due to having a reconstituted County Council after the 2021 elections. Council Vice Chair Elaine Paul Schaefer explained they are reintroducing the ordinance as a means of preserving the County’s options. They have had several months of productive discussions with the landowner (BLCC), and the County remains hopeful that this will be resolved with a Conservation Easement, not Eminent Domain.

UPDATE on Tuesday, May 31, 2022: The agenda for tomorrow’s County Council meeting includes an “Update on Broomall Lake negotiation.” We are hopeful for a positive update that a negotiated Conservation Easement is imminent.

A Conservation Easement would preserve the land bordering Glen Providence Park through a negotiated settlement instead of eminent domain, with BLCC being financially compensated with a lump-sum payment in return for the parcel in question being “maintained in perpetuity as undeveloped property” — without a new dam. A bridge, not a dam, would reconnect Upper Providence and Media Borough.

Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to support dam removal (partially completed in 2017), stream restoration, and a community discussion about an environmentally sensitive bridge to reconnect Media Borough and Upper Providence. When the dam was partially removed in 2017, we led a neighbor coalition that presented a proposal to County Council for a footbridge at 3rd Street. We were disappointed that the footbridge was not installed due to cost and permitting considerations.

For more information on the complex and evolving Broomall’s Dam project, start with our Broomall’s Dam overview with links to dozens of articles, and visit the website of our sister organization, Keep Media Green. 

Read Ordinance 2021-10, with its diagram of the 4.7 acres, below.

Media Borough is again seeking public input about the Broomall’s Dam/Third Street Project. If built, a new dam would have a devastating impact to the northern end of Glen Providence Park.

Recognizing the threat of this project to its county-owned park, Delaware County Council has declined to sign a PennDOT environmental document stating that the project would have “no adverse impact” to Glen Providence Park. In addition, neither the County, the Borough, nor Broomall’s Lake Country Club has agreed to sign as owner of the dam to get a PA DEP permit to build it. As a result, the project is on hold, and its outcome is uncertain.

Media Borough’s Open Space, Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee will be launching a public survey online, seeking input on priorities, facilities, programs, and budget allocation.

Two of the questions will be about Broomall’s Dam, which was partially removed by the PA DEP in 2017:

1. Whether there should be a new dam — or a bridge over a restored stream — at Third Street
2. What type of roadway should connect Media and Upper Providence

The questions are labeled under “Third Street Dam” in Section Three of the survey, “Programs & Facilities. ” The link to the survey will be going live the week of December 21 and will remain active through February: http://metroquestsurvey.com/xe5n5d The survey itself is space-restricted, and gives minimal information. As anyone who has been following this project knows, the legal case and underlying issues are complex.

Some important points:

• A new dam is not necessary for a roadway. A bridge could instead reconnect Media and Upper Providence, and would be drastically less damaging to Glen Providence Park than a dam. We believe there should be community input into whether that is a one-way, two-way, or pedestrian and bike roadway.

• While a new dam would again retain water, it would not fully restore Broomall’s Lake. The lake had filled with sediment since it was formed by Broomall’s Dam in 1883, diminishing from a depth of 30-40 feet to an estimated 8 feet. Expensive dredging would be needed to restore the lake. The past president of Broomall’s Lake Country Club stated at a public meeting that the Club would sue Media Borough to pay for that dredging after the dam is built.

• The new dam would, however, destroy the northern end of Glen Providence Park. According to a site visit with the engineer who designed the dam, earthfill to create the new, larger dam would bury the northern end of the park. The new dam would extend over 70′ farther downstream than the previous dam, filling in wetlands and natural springs, and encasing the waterfall and stream in concrete, including – and past – the masonry footer from one of the park’s original footbridges. The construction area would be larger than an acre, with more than 70 mature trees removed. For dam safety reasons, the massive new dam slope, and a 10’ perimeter past it, could not be replanted with anything but closely mowed grass. What is currently a serene, wooded entrance to the park would look like a highway exit berm.

• The new dam would be classified as a high hazard dam. Under legal definitions, this classification is due to the potential loss of life and property at the homes downstream of the park, in the event of a dam breach. This does not even take into consideration the danger to anyone using the park. With “100 year” weather events happening with increased frequency, we take this threat seriously.

Friends of Glen Providence Park organized in July 2011 in response to the threat to Glen Providence from the proposed dam, and we have continued to advocate to minimize the project’s damage to the park’s wetlands, wildlife, and plants. You can see photos of the section of the park that would be destroyed on our website in our 1.1 Acre Project.

To minimize destruction to the park, Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to support dam removal, stream restoration, and a local discussion of an environmentally-sensitive bridge between Media Borough and Upper Providence.

For more information, explore the Third Street Project overview and the many Dam/Bridge articles on our website.

Changes

The area of Broomall’s Lake has resettled and is now a meadow with a free-flowing stream running through it. We have observed deer grazing as well as other wildlife. Due to the lack of rain as well as the change in hydrology, Broomall’s Run, as it passes through Glen Providence Park, appears to have a much lower flow. A great deal of sediment from the lake has also been deposited in the stream and probably in the pond. We are watching closely and consulting with experts to learn about the short and long term impacts on the stream and the pond. 

Construction

To the best of our knowledge, plans for construction of the dam and two way road continue with Media Borough as the project manager and is slated to begin in late 2018. We are not aware of either Delaware County or Broomall’s Lake Country Club (BLCC) agreeing to be owner — a requirement for DEP permit. Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to advocate for full stream restoration and an environmentally sensitive bridge across Broomall’s Run that addresses the community’s transportation needs. 

Zoning & BLCC Development

Media Borough has begun the process of changing the zoning of a few parcels in town to MERC (Municipal, Educational, Recreational, Community) and one under consideration is the BLCC property. This property has been used recreationally for nearly 100 years as a private swim club, and is one of the only remaining large tracts of undeveloped land in Media Borough. Delaware County’s Open Space Plan of 2015 encourages municipalities to “take full advantage of their planning and zoning powers to protect sites and land resources of community importance.” (Open Space and Recreational Plan, Vol. 1, Chapter 3, p. 29; Delaware County Planning Department, 2015.)

BLCC leadership is strongly opposed to this zoning change, expressing their desire to retain the right to develop their land, which they estimate to be worth more than 12 million dollars if developed into 17 townhouses, as stated in their attorney’s letter to Media Borough dated September 29, 2017. Many club members who attended a Borough Workshop meeting expressed surprise at the club’s opposition to preserving this historic tract of land. 

A group has emerged in support of preserving open space in Media called Keep Media Green. Friends of Glen Providence Park supports the preservation of the BLCC property as open space. It will protect the vulnerable Ridley Creek Watershed, of which Broomall’s Run is a part, will help keep storm runoff and flooding more manageable within the park, and will help to mitigate the effects of development all around Glen Providence Park and Media Borough. You can find Keep Media Green on Facebook. 

Footbridge

Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to work with a community coalition that has made proposals to, and met with, Delaware County Council about a way to establish a pedestrian footbridge at the partially removed dam — we expect to have an update soon.

Partial breach of Broomall’s Dam when it was completed in July

On February 22, about 100-150 people crowded into the Media Borough Parlor Room to meet with officials from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to discuss the planned partial breach of Broomall’s dam in late April.

After some time to look over the technical plans and respond to residents’ questions, the DEP presented the why’s and how’s of the removal of Broomall’s Dam for safety reasons. Roger Adams, Division Chief of Dam Safety, gave a compelling presentation of the dangers to human life and property when a dam fails. Examples include the Bayless Dam, in which 10” of rain caused a catastrophic failure.

High hazard dam in poor condition

Of the 3,371 dams in Pennsylvania, only 754 are high hazard dams. While Broomall’s Dam is smaller than large dams like the Youngstown Dam, it is still categorized as a High Hazard C-2 dam, based on the amount of water and sediment held back and the height. It is also a High Hazard dam in poor condition. Even if the dam is rebuilt, it will again be a High Hazard C-2 dam.

Broomall’s an orphan dam that is deteriorating

Duke Adams (no relation to Roger), took up the presentation and discussed the issues around ownership. The dam was built in 1883 by John Broomall for ice harvesting. In 1980 the Army Corps of Engineers found the dam to be structurally in poor condition. In 1996 the roadway was closed for safety reasons. No party, not Broomall’s Lake Country Club (BLCC), Media Borough or Delaware County have been willing to take up the maintenance responsibilities over this time. The DEP has considered Broomall’s Dam an “orphan dam” because of the lack of responsible or willing owner.

In June 2014, Delaware County, BLCC and Media Borough signed a stipulation and order. Duke Adams explained that this order means that Media Borough would manage the reconstruction of the dam, and Delaware County would take ownership of the downstream face, and BLCC would be the owner and responsible party for the upstream face.

In 2012, BLCC sued Media Borough over its plan for a one-lane compromise for the bridge  — a solution that was supported by borough residents, Friends of Glen Providence Park, and the majority of Borough Council. Shortly thereafter the dam began to deteriorate significantly, with entire pieces of wall crumbling on the upstream and downstream side. The DEP elected to lower the water level to its absolute minimum in June 2013, and when the lake level was not maintained, the DEP returned and lowered it again in March 2016.

Eliminate the hazard

However, due to continual delays and a lack of clarity of an owner (none of the three parties has stepped forward and take responsibility to date), the DEP has decided to eliminate the hazard of the dam. By removing nearly all of the standing water and a significant amount of liquid sediment, the pressure on the dam walls will be reduced. The hazard category will be lowered to C-4.  Their presentation highlighted the dangers of allowing high hazard dams to remain in place.

Work begins in early May

The work on the dam will begin around May 9th and should conclude within two months. During construction, the entire corner of 3rd and West Street will be closed to all traffic and the entrance to BLCC swim club will be closed, to reopen once the partial breach is complete.

The main spillway of the dam will be removed, as will the waterfall. Broomall’s Lake will drain almost completely and construction access into the lake will remain until the dam is reconstructed. The original stream of Broomall’s Run will find its own course and several springs that feed into Broomall’s Lake may make their appearance.

The DEP reported that before dam removal begins, up to two weeks will be spent to remove the PA Threatened Northern Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) and native snapping turtles, which will be relocated to the pond in Glen Providence Park. The invasive Red-eared slider (a similar looking turtle) will be removed and donated to science programs. Other fish, frogs and invertebrates will have to find their way during the draining of the lake or they will perish. Traps to capture turtles were set on April 24th. 

Loss of pedestrian and bicycle access for Upper Providence for 2 years or more

The likely reason why so many people came to the meeting was due to the disruption of pedestrian and bicycle access across the dam starting at the end of April, and lasting until the proposed dam reconstruction. Roger Adams could not say how long the period between dam removal and dam reconstruction would be, but did not hesitate to say at least two years. (The dam reconstruction permit has not been approved or scheduled to date.)

There were a number of questions from the audience on the issue, particularly focused on Upper Providence residents who use Third Street frequently to walk into Media. Safety issues were also raised by residents, particularly the concern that if there were no access at all, some daring individuals would somehow find a way that would most likely be very unsafe. The DEP indicated that there might be a possibility of installing a temporary pedestrian bridge.

Stream Restoration

A benefit of dam removal is the re-establishment of open waterways and natural streams. Artificial dammed bodies of water not only present a hazard of failure on the downstream side, but they also hold back aquatic life and sediment that contribute to the overall health of our waterways. 

Pedestrian Bridge

A coalition of Upper Providence and Media neighbors and Friends of Glen Providence Park is working to establish a temporary pedestrian footbridge to maintain the connection between Media and Upper Providence in the time period between dam removal and dam reconstruction. The proposed footbridge is modular and can be relocated into Glen Providence Park at one of the former bridge sites once dam reconstruction begins. If you are interested in supporting this effort, please contact us.

This is planned as a temporary dam removal until the proposed new dam is built. For details including safety, public notice, and 3rd Street access, see our May 2016 update. 

The Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to support dam removal, stream restoration and a local discussion of an environmentally-sensitive bridge between Media Borough and Upper Providence.

As we reported in October 2015, the the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) will conduct a “temporary partial breach” of Broomall’s Dam this year. This is planned as a temporary dam removal until the proposed new dam is built. By conducting this partial breach, the PADEP is taking action to address the serious safety issue posed by the current Broomall’s Dam, which is a high-hazard dam that was declared unsafe in 1980 by the Army Corps of Engineers.  

Timeline

The PADEP originally intended to conduct the partial breach before June 1 this year, but the timeline has been updated. According to Duke Adams of the PADEP Division of Dam Safety, PECO will re-route the gas lines that currently run through the dam by July. Both the gas and water lines that run through the current dam will be permanently re-routed – the proposed new dam would not have utilities running through it.

The PADEP will begin the partial breach in September, and the process should take 6 to 8 weeks. This would mean that the breach should be complete by Thanksgiving. Based on the timing of the dam permit process, the PADEP indicated we are “probably 2 years off from construction” of a new dam – which would take us to spring 2018 for construction of the proposed new dam to begin.

What the partially breached dam will look like

“Preliminary” plan

Officials at the PADEP explained that the top layer of the current dam, including the roadway, will be removed – the resulting structure will be a smaller dam 10 to 12’ lower than the current dam. Upstream of the dam will be a stream in place of the current Broomall’s Lake – the PADEP will allow the stream to find its own channel. In the growing season, the new streambanks should fill quickly with vegetation. During the breach process this fall, there will be a dirt road causeway built upstream for construction access, but it is undetermined if that will remain until construction starts on the new proposed dam.

According to the PADEP, the stream will pass over the lower dam through a flow channel notched out of the top of the dam – there will be a waterfall lower than the current one. Downstream of the dam, there will be some riprap on the park side near the stream, but there will be minimal disturbance to the park. The PADEP indicated that only a few trees closest to the top of the dam will be removed when they take the level down. You can review the pdf of the PADEP’s preliminary partial breach plans, and pdf’s and images are also at the bottom of this article.

Park Access & 3rd Street Access

Officials at the PADEP advised that construction equipment will be staged at the 3rd Street entrance, so the 3rd Street entrance to Glen Providence Park will be closed when they are breaching the current dam, from approximately mid-September through Thanksgiving. The entrance will be open again after the current dam is breached, until construction of the new proposed dam would begin.

As currently planned by the PADEP, there will be barricades on both sides of the dam at 3rd Street – there would be no access for pedestrians or bikers until the proposed new dam is completed. As it is likely 2 years until construction begins, it could mean 3 years without access to cross Broomall’s Run at 3rd Street. Friends of Glen Providence Park has inquired with PADEP and Media Borough Council about constructing a footbridge to cross Broomall’s Run over the lowered dam. We will continue to advocate for a footbridge to allow pedestrian and bike access, keeping the Upper Providence and Media Borough communities connected.

Safety

According to the PADEP, if the partially breached dam fails, sediment would “slowly ooze” – there should not be danger to those in park. In addition, the partially removed dam will have a wider (more stable) base than the current one. The partially breached dam will be classified as C4, meaning there would be no potential loss of life or “public convenience” (road/traffic).   

Public notice & public meeting

We asked the PADEP to post signs well in advance of construction advising of the 3rd Street closure and park entrance closure. We also requested a public meeting with the PADEP about the partial dam breach process, similar to the Dam Safety Workshop we hosted in August 2012, so the community can be fully informed and have their questions about the breach process addressed.  

Emergency Action Plan signatures

It is our understanding that there are still no signatures on the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for the proposed new dam, which is required to obtain a dam permit. The PADEP indicated, “There will be no authorization to build [a new dam] until there are signatures.” In July 2015, Media Borough Council passed a resolution that they would not sign the EAP for the proposed dam. As owners and operators of the proposed new dam under the Stipulation Agreement, it is expected that Delaware County and Broomall’s Lake Country Club would sign it.

You can read about and see pictures of the proposed 1.1 acre construction area for the proposed new dam, including the approximately 2/3 acre of Glen Providence Park that would be buried under earthfill, in our 1.1 Acre Photojournal.

The Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to support dam removal, stream restoration and a local discussion of an environmentally-sensitive bridge between Media Borough and Upper Providence.

Click on the green link to view the PDF of the PADEP’s preliminary partial breach plans, or view the images below: