Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 158, No. 12
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
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New Garden board gives approval to Smedley Preserve’s master plan The $4.25 million project may be entirely paid for by grants By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer For years, New Garden Township residents would drive by or visit the Loch Nairn Golf Club and admire picturesque fairways and enjoy a signature crab cake at one of the property’s three restaurants. From the time the township’s Board of Supervisors authorized the $1.425
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million purchase of the 106acre site from the Smedley family at their June 7, 2021 online work session, however, the shared vision of the property’s owners and stakeholders have been reimagining the parcel as a passive recreation park. At a presentation on March 18 at the New Garden Township Building, Kate Raman, a conservation project manager at
Natural Lands, spelled out the future for the park – referred to as the Smedley Preserve -- that will include forests, trails and pathways, restored streams and acres of meadows in the form of a master plan that received the approval of the board. The restoration of the park, Raman said, is intended to enhance the ecological function of water quality, biodiversity and resilience,
a goal that will be challenging given its former usage. “Golf courses are not really an ecologically beneficial Continued on Page 2A Photo by Kate Raman
The New Garden Township Board of Supervisors gave their approval on March 18 to a master plan for the conversion of the 106acre Smedley Preserve in the township to a passive recreation park.
Howett’s Custom Screen Printing presents $35,000 to OMI The #Oxford Strong t-shirt fundraiser was the single largest contribution that Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. received By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer
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Dan Greer came before Oxford Borough Council on March 18 to present a $35,000 check to Julia Lo Ehrhardt, the Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI) executive director. The funds were raised through the #Oxford Strong t-shirt fundraiser that Howett’s Custom Screen Printing took a leadership role on. Greer told council that Brian Little from Cameron’s Ace Hardware approached the printing company with the idea.
Greer said, “I underestiEhrhardt had just started OMI’s building was one of lost 25 years of Oxford mated what we would do. working as the new execu- the businesses destroyed in Mainstreet history. We lost We sold over 4,000 shirts.” tive director for OMI just the fire. all of our supplies for First Continued on Page 3A The $35,000 raised two days before the fire. Ehrhardt explained, “We through the #Oxford Strong t-shirt fundraiser was the single largest contribution that Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. received. Leslie Sleesman, the OMI board chairperson, and Julia Lo Ehrhardt, the OMI executive director, updated council on the status of the organization six months after the horrific fire that damaged several buildings in the downtown last Sept. 13. The fire displaced nearly 100 residents and numerous businesses.
FROM OUR LENS
Game, set, match
Oxford Library officials outline the need for more funding State and county funding for the third-oldest library in the state has not increased since 2020 By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer According to Carey Bresler, the director of the Oxford Library, funding from the state and the county hasn’t changed since 2020. That has forced the
library to ask for additional funding from the local municipalities. At a recent meeting of Oxford Borough Council, Bresler and Jay Kennedy, treasurer of the Oxford Library Board, addressed how the library is funded and the value it brings to the
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Prior to the Kennett High School boys’ tennis team’s match against visiting Penncrest on March 13, a foursome of their top players posed before the camera. From left are Aaron Wilson, Rowen Skinner, Will Engle and Logan Leighton.
community. For 240 years, the Oxford Library has provided resources to enrich the lives of residents of Oxford Borough and the surround-
ing townships, while also being a valuable community partner. The Oxford Library is the oldest library in Chester County and the third old-
est in Pennsylvania. The Oxford Library was established on Aug. 3, 1784 by 28 members and an equal number of books, to Continued on Page 2A
Chester County Intermediate Unit outlines process, timeline to find the next KCSD superintendent The Kennett Consolidated School District formally enlisted the Chester County Intermediate Unit to facilitate the search for a new superintendent last week. This week, the Chester County Intermediate Unit outlined the process and timeline to find the successor to Kennett Consolidated School District Superintendent Dr. Dusty Blakey, who announced his retirement
effective July 26, 2024. The search process is already underway. The Intermediate Unit has already created the job posting. Applications from candidates will be accepted from March 15 through April 15. In early April, there will be focus groups and surveys of Kennett stakeholders—opportunities for input from families, staff, students and the community will be an integral
part of the search process, according to the Chester County Intermediate Unit. The Intermediate Unit will be hosting community forums, surveys, and stakeholder meetings to gather valuable insights and perspectives on the desired qualities and priorities for the next superintendent. Information on each of these opportunities will be forthcoming. “We recognize the importance of engaging
our community in this significant decision,” said Kennett Consolidated School Board President David Kronenberg in a statement. “Input from all stakeholders will be carefully considered as we seek to identify a leader who will continue to advance the mission and values of the Kennett Consolidated School District.” When the job posting closes, the applications will be reviewed. From April
15 to May 15, the candidates will be screened and interviewed. Once all the interviews and follow-up interviews are completed, the Kennett Consolidated School Board will make a decision. It is expected that the announcement of a new superintendent will be made in late May. For more information and updates on the superintendent search process, contact the Chester County Intermediate Unit.