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. 

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.

In honor of Earth Day, community volunteers, elementary school students, and local government officials worked together to plant canopy trees on the sledding hill in Glen Providence Park. Thank you to The Rotary Club of Media, Media Providence Friends School students and teachers, Delaware County Council, and Delaware County Parks & Recreation for planting seven trees with Friends of Glen Providence Park this Wednesday!

This winter, Media Rotary had reached out to Media Providence Friends School (MPFS) and Friends of Glen Providence Park about collaborating on an educational tree planting in the Glen for Earth Day. On March 2, when the iconic White Oak on the park’s sledding hill fell in a Nor’easter, we knew where we would plant! This beloved tree was estimated to be well over 200 years old, and the community profoundly felt its loss. As a part of succession planning for the loss of this and future trees, we planted six canopy trees – including four oak species which are particularly beneficial to wildlife – and a Flowering Dogwood to replace one that is nearing the end of its expected life. 

The native trees help control erosion, provide food and habitat for wildlife, and beautify the park. This supplements the two trees planted for Earth Day in 2015 after another large tree had fallen by the stage. The species planted are White Oak, Black Oak, Chestnut Oak, Swamp White Oak, Black Gum, Black Birch, and Flowering Dogwood – we hope some of these saplings grow to be canopy trees that provide shade and beauty for future generations!

Volunteers from Rotary, MPFS, and Friends of the Glen worked together with Delaware County Parks & Recreation to organize the planting. Rotarians and Friends arrived early on Wednesday to prepare the site and start planting the trees. MPFS 3rd and 5th grade students helped dig the holes, plant the trees, mulch, and water – in addition to adding educational plant tags to our National Public Lands Day plantings from last fall! We were joined by Delaware County Parks & Recreation, and County Councilmen Michael Culp and Kevin Madden helped plant the final tree. 

In addition to all of the wonderful volunteers and students who helped with the plantings, we would like to extend tremendous thank you’s to:

The Rotary Club of Media originated the idea, and the Media Rotary Foundation and Gundaker Foundation funded the native trees and the deer fencing to protect them. Media Providence Friends School is creating educational tree tags for these and last year’s plantings, and its teachers regularly use the park as an outdoor classroom to educate and inspire their students. Delaware County Parks & Recreation provided the mulch, and a portalet so the students could extend their class time in the park. Delaware County Council helped plant the Chestnut Oak (in their suits!) and spoke thoughtfully about Earth Day. 

Seven Stones Cafe donated delicious coffee that fueled the early-arriving volunteers, and Pinocchio’s Restaurant donated enough pizza for the students and adults! Additional supplies were donated by AllScapes, Inc.; Honey Fix It, Inc.; and Pierce L. Shallis Landscaping & Design LLC. Last but not least, Garden Influence and Redbud Native Plant Nursery provided invaluable guidance on the best species to plant, and how to properly plant the trees.

Check out the photos of the morning below! 

Photos by Media Providence Friends School and Friends of Glen Providence Park

For our 7th National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 30, we installed wildlife habitat plantings at the base of the sledding hill in Glen Providence Park! This year, 15 lovely adults, teens, and kids volunteered a combined 60 hours digging (at times with pick axes!), planting, mulching, installing deer fencing, raking, and watering. A volunteer cleared trash along the trails, and a hiker happened upon us while walking his dog, then stopped and helped us dig one of the most difficult (rocky) holes! 

We planted canopy trees that will someday shade the path, flowering understory trees for spring beauty, and fruit-bearing Pawpaws and Flowering raspberries for culinary adventures! The planting site was downhill of the wooden fence and berm on the sledding hill – in an area where Delaware County Parks & Recreation has been battling erosion – and uphill from our 2014 streamside buffer plantings. As they grow, these trees and shrubs will help further control erosion and slow stormwater runoff to Broomall’s Run.  

In addition to helping control erosion, the plants benefit wildlife by providing habitat and seeds, nuts, fruits, and nectar for mammals, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. We planted 21 native trees and shrubs, and protected 9 existing native saplings with deer fencing – the complete list is below.

Our hours spent planting are preceded by many hours of planning and site preparation. The day before our planting, our Weed Warriors crew cleared invasive Japanese stiltgrass to make room for the plantings, installed deer fencing on some native tree saplings in the planting area, and moved materials down to the planting site.

We have so many to thank for their help with this project… starting with all those wonderful volunteers!

The volunteers were fueled by delicious coffee generously donated by Seven Stones Cafe, by donuts thoughtfully contributed by one of our volunteers, and an amazing 3′ x 3′ square pizza (four pizzas in one!) donated by Pit Stop Pizza & Steaks!  

Delaware County Parks & Recreation provided the funding for the plants and delivered the mulch. Taylor Memorial Arboretum donated native trees and shrubs again this year, and Delaware County Conservation District donated deer fencing, and gave us access to their Conservation Planting Trailer full of all of the tools we could need! Garden Influence and Redbud Native Plant Nursery provided invaluable expertise, and Friends of Glen Providence Park donors funded the fencing posts and other supplies for this project. Neighbors of the park allowed us to run a hose downhill from their house to water the plantings. We are grateful to all of these people for making the plantings possible!

The next time you are at the sledding hill, look for these native plants, and check out the fun in the photos below – just click on any for a closer look or to scroll through them.

Shrubs:

Bottlebrush buckeye, Aesculus parviflora – 3
Blackhaw viburnum, Viburnum prunifolium – 1
Silky Dogwood, Cornus amomum – 6
Flowering raspberry, Rubus odoratus – 2

Before & After: 

Before: the area was overgrown with invasive weeds, including plenty of Japanese stiltgrass, providing little benefit to wildlife

After: we planted 21 native trees and shrubs, each rich with benefits to wildlife, which will also help reduce erosion and someday shade the path

Photos by Shannon Davidson, Marcia Tate, George Tate & Stephanie Gaboriault

Many Media-area residents have memories of the decades of July 4th festivities and fireworks displays in Glen Providence Park! Annual July 4th fireworks spanned 35 years, from 1952 to 1986. The fireworks drew crowds in the thousands, with 10,000 estimated in 1958! July 4th celebrations included contests, concerts, Revolutionary battle reenactments(!), and movies. Chester Times and Daily Times articles track the evolution of these festivities in the park.

1950 Centennial Celebration

The first instance we could find of fireworks in Glen Providence was not for July 4th, but for the exuberant week-long Media Borough Centennial celebrations in June 1950, attended by Governor James H. Duff! On Monday, June 5, that day’s “motorcade parade” route ended at Glen Providence, where the US Air Force Band played and the Governor spoke – all followed by the  “brilliant spectacle of aerial fireworks” in the park.

There are at least two other times when Glen Providence Park hosted fireworks for non-July 4th festivities – for “Media Week” in August 1951, and “Pennsylvania Week” in October 1954. There seems to have been a lot of civic pride in the 1950’s!

1955 fireworks in Chester Times

Start of a Tradition

The first July 4th fireworks in the park were in 1952, as part of quite a celebration! After a musical program with singing, dancing, and instrumental and baton twirling competitions(!), “In the evening the entire community will come together in a gigantic evening music festival, which will feature a motion picture and a fireworks display that will equal the aerial beauty of the Media Centennial fireworks.”

It is unclear whether there were fireworks in 1953, but by 1954 an annual tradition had begun, with fireworks held most years until the last fireworks in the park in 1986. Early fireworks were sponsored by the Media Businessmen’s Association, then were abandoned in 1961. In 1962, the tradition was reinitiated by the Media Junior Chamber of Commerce (later called the Media Jaycees), until at least 1974. The Jaycees also ran the Great Media Easter Egg Hunt in Glen Providence Park for over 30 years, from 1954 to around 1989!

Concerts & Kids

Most years, fireworks were preceded by concerts at the historical stage in the Glen Providence Park. Performers included the Media High School Band, Elwyn School Band, Fawns all-girl drum and bugle corps, barbershop quartets, Delco-Aires, Delco-Ordinators, and Haverfordians. In 1970, the Jaycees shook things ups with “a two-hour open-air “rock” band festival preceding the fireworks” featuring The Final Assembly and The Brass Menagerie.

Years of firemen’s parades in Media preceded the concerts, and there were other activities and free ice cream for children at the celebrations in Glen Providence. As described in 1971, “The Jaycees will fill a gallon jug with beans… Girls and boys will be asked to judge how many beans are in the jug and during the evening two bicycles will be awarded.”  Member Jaycees would also distribute American flags to children in the park.

Redcoats in the Park?!

The most unique pre-fireworks event in Glen Providence was a mock Revolutionary battle  in 1972! “The Battle Between the Redcoats and the Patriots” was enacted by Moody’s Militia, a Delaware County historical group.  “In Tuesday’s battle, the British will come from the left side of the pond in the park… They will attempt to capture an artillery piece held by American forces. The artillerymen, resplendent in gold braid and yellow all over their coats, will get help from the infantry which will try an encirclement movement, popping from behind trees and brush. Muskets will fire blank charges of black powder, and cries and shouts of the participants will be realistic.”  This was followed by a craft show in the park, then folk singing before the fireworks!   

Paring down the festivities

With all the side events, the fireworks remained the central element of July 4th celebrations. In 1974, the Jaycees reported, “Because we are strapped for money, our annual gala… has been trimmed to the bare essentials.” The “main essential” was the fireworks, “which annually draws 7,000 to 8,000 persons at dusk to Glen Providence Park.” Preserving the patriotic intent of the event, the Jaycees also budgeted for 2,000 free American flags for the crowd. There would, however, be no concert or parade. Sometime after 1974, Media Borough took over the annual fireworks, and aside from music and dancing in 1976 for the Bicentennial, it is unclear whether there were more July 4th concerts.

In a sad chapter in the annual fireworks, there were fights after the fireworks in 1972, 1973 and 1974, with the 1974 fights requiring a response by 50 police officers from eight departments. Fortunately this did not end the annual fireworks, which continued for another twelve years.

The end of a decades-long tradition

In two 1987 articles, the Philadelphia Inquirer documented the decision by Media Borough and Delaware County to cancel the annual fireworks, due to “crowd control problems in 1986,” safety concerns, and liability insurance.

“Media Fire Chief James Jefferies said that as other communities, such as Springfield and Marple Townships, eliminated their firework displays, the crowds in Media increased. ‘Last time people were actually sitting on State Street,’ Jefferies said. ‘There just would not have been a way for the police to get into the park to assist anyone and to get someone out of the park. You could not even form a lane on State Street.’”

There had also been an accident in 1986 where a man sustained second-degree burns to his leg, and was treated at Riddle Memorial Hospital. Delaware County Fire Marshal George T. Lewis Jr. indicated that “The people watching the fireworks at Glen Providence Park were within 50 feet of the display,” while the borough’s insurance required watchers to be seated at least 600 feet from the fireworks display – which would mean the watchers would have had to be seated outside the park, no closer than Lemon Street.

The end of the fireworks “also marked the end of a long tradition involving the Valenti family and Media. John Valenti, who came to Media in 1911, and later his son, Robert, were responsible for many years of fireworks displays in the borough” – John Valenti was listed among members of the fireworks committee in 1954. It was reported that in 1987, Robert Valenti went on to set off fireworks for Lansdowne.

The July 4th fireworks in Glen Providence Park had an amazing run, but  it is hard now to imagine thousands of people in the park, and it is certainly understandable why they ended! As there seems little chance of fireworks returning to the park, the annual July 4th fireworks will remain an exciting chapter in Glen Providence Park’s history.

In all of the articles about fireworks in the park, we only found one photograph from 1955! If you have any photos of the July 4th fireworks and festivities that you are willing to share, please email me at FriendsoftheGlen [at] gmail [dot] com.

Sources:

Chester Times and Delaware County Daily Times  articles researched on the Newspaper Archives of Delaware County Library:

Chester Times:
Centennial Program, June 2, 1950
Media Crowded, June 5, 1950
Media Holds Open House, August 16, 1951
Evening Festival, July 3, 1952
Media Reveals Program for July 4 Affair, May 25, 1954
Media BMA Ups Cost of July 4 Celebration, June 8, 1954
Parade, October 13, 1954
Media’s July 4 Plans Approved, May 24, 1955
Fireworks Sparkle at July 4th Fete, July 5, 1955
7 Fireworks Displays Set, July 3, 1956
Media Plans Gala 4th Celebration; Fireworks to Close Day’s Events, June 26, 1958
10,000 Watch Media Show, July 5, 1958
Media Plans All-Day July 4th Celebration, June 18, 1959

Daily Times:
Parade to Feature Celebration, June 25, 1960
Fancy Fourth Planned, June 30, 1962
County Marks Holiday, July 3, 1963
Fireworks To Be Seen, July 3, 1964
Fireworks Displays, July 3, 1965
Media July 4 Plans Announced, July 1, 1966
Community Fireworks Shows Listed, July 3, 1968
11 Areas Schedule Fireworks, July 3, 1969
County Communities Schedule July 4 Programs, July 3, 1970
Countians to help Nation Mark Birthday, July 3, 1971
Moody’s Militia to Battle in Media, July 1, 1972
Police say 42,000 watched fireworks displays in county, July 5, 1972
Media, July 3, 1974
Street fights follow fireworks in Media, July 5, 1974
4 arrested following Media fights, July 6, 1974
Great weather for fireworks, July 4, 1975
Media to note Bicen Saturday, July 9, 1976
Media, July 1, 1977

Philadelphia Inquirer on Philly.com:
Annual Fireworks Canceled; Problems with ‘86 Crowd Cited, June 21, 1987
Accident Halts Fireworks Displays in Media, July 2, 1987

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:

2015 was the 80th Anniversary year for Glen Providence Park! In 1935, prominent Media Borough residents George and Eleanor Reed Butler donated the majority of land for Glen Providence, which would be the first park in the Delaware County system. The Butlers donated the park as a bird sanctuary and arboretum, and specified in the deed they signed on July 24, 1935 that the land be kept “in as natural a condition as possible.” Eleanor named Glen Providence “because of its glen-like formation and as it is located in the heart of the Providence townships.”

It was on Halloween 1935 when James Stokes, the first park guard, began work on the park under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a depression-era jobs program. The WPA built all original park structures, including the entrances, the pavilion, several footbridges, and the concert stage.

The day after the park opened, an article in the Chester Times beckoned the public: “Come with your bird glasses, your flower guides, your tree books. Bring the school children and scout groups, and let Nature teach them her ancient lessons.” Glen Providence has hosted decades of events and activities including nature walks, birdwatching, scouting events, skating, sledding, fishing, fireworks, concerts, Haunted Woods, and the Great Media Easter Egg Hunt!

In 2015, we celebrated and honored the first 80 years of Delaware County’s first park. In addition to our regular monthly events:

• At our Earth Day Celebration, we planted trees by the historical stage with Delaware County officials and Media Providence Friends School students.

• On the anniversary weekend of the park deed being signed, we held an 80th Anniversary Celebration at our July concert – with the Butler grandchildren Eleanor Reed Lewis and Clifford Butler Lewis as guests of honor!

• At our Halloween 80th Birthday Celebration, Hedgerow Theatre performed Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, and enacted the park’s 1700’s Newlywed Ghost Story and 1800’s Witch Story! A costumed audience of almost 200 enjoyed the performance (and birthday cupcakes!) before heading off for trick-or-treating.

Read more about the founding of Glen Providence Park and its Halloween birthday, or explore its rich past on our History Timeline. More photos and details about our 80th anniversary events are in the green links above.

We wish you many more wonderful years, Glen Providence Park!

Photographs by George Tate:

Responding to the decision by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) to breach Broomall’s dam by June of 2016, Timothy Stevenson, Design Portfolio Manager for District 6 of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), announced that PennDOT was not willing to fully fund the reconstruction of the dam if the alternate option of building a bridge proved to be less expensive.

In an e-mail sent to PennDOT contractor Sidney New on October 16, 2015, and copied to Media Borough and Delaware County, Mr. Stevenson noted that the project’s draft environmental document identified two primary needs: 1) addressing transportation network deficiencies and 2) resolving unsafe dam conditions. “The DEP’s proposed action [to breach the dam] should resolve the second need for the project, leaving only the first need to be addressed,” wrote Stevenson.

Citing a lack of adequate funding to address all of the region’s current bridge repair needs, Stevenson stated “…I cannot approve additional expenditures beyond what is needed to address the transportation network deficiencies…should the cost [of dam replacement] exceed the cost of a bridge, I can only see A-183 funds [Local Bridge Funds] being applied to a prorated portion of the total project costs.”

Click to read the entire October 16 email from PennDOT.

In a subsequent telephone conversation with a representative of the Friends of Glen Providence Park, Mr. Stevenson confirmed PennDOT’s intention to only provide prorated funding for the amount of the cheapest option (e.g. if dam replacement cost $3 million dollars and constructing a bridge cost $2 million dollars, PennDOT would only pay out $2 million. The same formula would apply if dam replacement proved to be cheaper than constructing a bridge).

Mr. Stevenson’s e-mail leaves many questions unanswered. 1) What bridge design will be used as the basis for a cost comparison with dam reconstruction? 2) Who will conduct an independent cost analysis? 3) If a cost analysis did determine that building a bridge was the less expensive option, would a dam still be constructed? 4) If yes, which party (or parties) would pay the balance between PennDOT funding and the full cost of dam replacement?

The Friends of Glen Providence will be seeking answers to these and other questions that arise regarding the now uncertain funding plan for the Broomall’s dam project.

Friends of Glen Providence Park continues to believe that dam removal, stream restoration, and a community conversation regarding an environmentally sensitive bridge between Media Borough and Upper Providence Township is the best course of action.

The PADEP communicated their intention to breach the dam at a meeting on Wednesday, October 14 between representatives of Delaware County, Media Borough, Broomall’s Lake Country Club, and the PADEP. That meeting was to resolve issues surrounding who would sign as owner(s) for the Emergency Action Plan(s) for Broomall’s Dam, which is to plan for public safety in the event of an accidental dam failure. The meeting was also to address other responsibilities surrounding the operation and maintenance of Broomall’s Dam.

As we previously reported, Media Borough voted in July not to sign the EAP as owner. Hall reported tonight that there is “still some wordsmithing about responsibilities under the EAP,” the “terms are not worked out,” and “no one has set ink to paper” to sign as owner.

According to Hall, while the dam is temporarily breached, there will be no foot traffic across Broomall’s Run to and from Upper Providence. There might also be restrictions in the north end of Glen Providence Park. This may last a few years, until construction of the new dam is complete – and according to an update from Schnabel Engineering this April, construction on the new dam would likely begin in 2017 or 2018.

We would like to learn more about this project, including environmental impacts to Glen Providence Park and Broomall’s Run, whether there will be access to Glen Providence Park from the entrance at 3rd & West Streets, and whether there is any way to create access for pedestrians to cross to and from Upper Providence. As we learn the answers to these questions, we will post updates.

You can read about and see pictures of the proposed 1.1 acre construction area for the 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.