CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP PARKS & RECREATION BOARD
Great Valley Middle School
255 North Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA
Minutes of Thursday, August 20, 2015

Present

Parks and Recreation: Chris Lawrence, Chairman, Sue Staas, and Brian Schlorff of PASC.
Consultants: None
Staff: Lisa Gardner, Recording Secretary, Tim Hubbard, Property & Safety Coordinator

Call to Order:

7:35 p.m.

Minutes for Approval –

The July minutes were approved.

Old Business

There was none.

New Business

PASC Report by Brian Schlorff

Field Clean Up Day is on August 29th from 8 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will lay out the fields; setup the goals and nets, etc.

Spectators are leaving behind trash, so it was suggested to tie a bag onto the bleachers. Mr. Schlorff said he and the kids pick up trash often, but more receptacles are needed for overflow.

PMYC – No report

Charlestown Day Report

Flyers for the Family Fun and 5k Run on Saturday, October 3, 2015 were available at tonight’s meeting. Mrs. Schlichter wants to be notified of flyer distribution areas. Volunteers are still needed especially for parking and the 5k. Mr. Lawrence suggested contacting the local Boy Scouts. There will be four Township tables.

  1. The Historical Committee and HARB
  2. The Planning Commission (featuring Township changes and new developments)
  3. The Board of Supervisors (also Emergency Services and Auchincloss information)
  4. Charlestown Park construction information, Devault Trail Feasibility Study information, trail and parking maps, etc.

Updates can be seen on the website at CharlestownDay.Org. and also on Facebook. The Facebook page will be utilized after the event, by other Charlestown events, and will be more of a Park & Recreation page in the future.

Mr. Hubbard suggested someone walk the trails (especially the McDevitt Trail) with a Google View Trekker Backpack. Mrs. Staas thought this would make a great Eagle Scout project. There is also an app in production for Charlestown trails, it may be ready for Charlestown Day.

Charlestown Park

Pavilion demolition starts August 24th. The fencing is halfway down. Large boulders may be donated from a neighboring development for placement along field roadsides that need a barrier. Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Detorre are going to mark picnic tables for demolition or reuse. Benches to will be moved to non-pavilion spots. Mr. Schlorff will email Mr. Lawrence with suggested locations. Mr. Lawrence will contact Mrs. Csete about the trash receptacles he believed where already ordered. He will have Mr. Cabot chain them and place them at troublesome spots, especially near the pet waste stations.

Charlestown Landscaping was contacted about mowing changes due to usage of the fields changing, and corrections were made. Tent caterpillars will be removed, the nature trail and look-out deck area will be more closely manicured.

Trails Report

The Butterfly Walk was very well attended. A volunteer who had come forward to map local trails has not been responsive.

The Devault Trail Feasibility Study is posted on the Township website. To move the project forward will require the support of neighboring municipalities and citizen groups. It takes a thorough look at alternative routes, and so far has had only two concerned property owners. If local townships join together, county funding will be easier to obtain for maintenance and perhaps even patrolling.

Mrs. Staas said that there may be a link to the Horseshoe Trail when the details are clear on the Auchincloss property. The link would involve blending onto the Brightside Farm Trail. There will be an option to continue onto the Horseshoe Trail by crossing Yellow Springs Road, or just walking the Brightside loop.

Signage & Leash Laws

Mr. Lawrence said he has learned the Township has a 6 foot leash ordinance for dog owners that he would like enforced at parks and trails. He would like to see graphical symbol signage at trailheads and parks (the leash law being one of them).

Brightside Farm

The trail is being engineered by Advanced GeoServices Corporation and will probably be out to bid in the spring. Mr. Lawrence believes the Board of Supervisors is going to engage the services of a beekeeper now that liability concerns are out to the way.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.