1645 ART SCHOOL ROAD | CHESTER SPRINGS
HOURS: MONDAY -THURSDAY 9AM to 4PM
610-590-5300
WEST PIKELAND TOWNSHIP NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 2024

Thank You, Dr. Bright!


West Pikeland Township Board of Supervisors celebrated the remarkable career and dedication of supervisor, Dr. Richard Bright. With unwavering commitment, he served West Pikeland Township for an impressive span of 16 inspiring years, leaving an indelible mark on the community he dearly cherishes.

A Message from the Leithead Family



Today was a beautiful day Pine Creek Park, Chester Springs, PA. Today in front of family, friends, and community members we were able to open and dedicate a new sand play area at the playground in honor and memory of our son Cayden Andrew Leithead.


As most of you know, this week one year ago was the most traumatic time in my family's life. Denise and I experienced the worst thing any parent could. After a relatively healthy pregnancy Denise was rushed in for an emergency c section and within 5 minutes our son Cayden was born but not breathing. The wonderful doctors at Chester County Hospital revived him but not without many severe complications. Cayden was transferred to Pennsylvania Hospital and cared for by a truly amazing team of Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia doctors but ultimately after 7 short days with us Cayden passed peacefully in our arms.


Nothing can prepare you for this kind of trauma, this grief that we continue to suffer. Out of this grief I learned of a term “Grief in Action” So I thought about what action I could take that would have an impact on others and could honor our beautiful son. Like many little kids, our first-born son Declan has loved the sand play area of East Goshen Park, so I took this idea set my mind on building a sand play area for our local park.

After many months of planning, multiple meetings with the West Pikeland Township (WPT) board of supervisors, which somehow led to me joining the WPT parks and recreation board... and a few design revisions we created Cayden’s Corner.


This really could not have been possible without our family and many friends who donated in Cayden’s honor over this past year as well as a huge thank you to the following.


Recreation Resource USA of Kennet Square who helped guide me through what turns out to be a very complicated world of playground equipment. Along with providing and installing the equipment, they also donated the sand swirl feature next to the sand table.


J.J. Loudin of Sweetwater 100 Wholesale Landscape Supply who generously donated 10 yards of stone and over 20 yards of sand!


Jack Lane who I randomly met and after a brief interaction and discussion about this project he jumped on the challenge of helping my father Fran Leithead and I build the lumber border on a freezing cold day that we could probably put a house on top of.


Chase Gallagher of CMG Landscaping who over the next week will be donating their equipment and labor to complete the groundwork to clean up the mess I made behind the sand box and make sure the swale adequately diverts ground water away from the sand box.

West Pikeland Township Board of Supervisors, Parks and Recreations Board, and township manager Barbara Kelley for supporting my vision and the meaning behind this play area.

WPT Public works team Anthony and Tim for digging the hole and trenching the drainpipe.


Judd Feinerman and Sam Wachsmuth from Parks and Rec who helped me spread those 10 yards of stone and 20+ yards of Sand... our backs will eventually recover.


Last but certainly not least everyone who came out today for this special moment and all the children in the community who will get to enjoy Cayden’s Corner for years to come.


While I have your attention I wanted to also thank and shout out a wonderful organization I am proud to be a board member for. A Haven is a local nonprofit and family-based grief center in Exton, and the only in Chester County, serving children in our community who have suffered an unimaginable loss of a loved one. A Haven helps families and children grieve in a safe and healthy way and the team at A Haven are some of the most genuinely amazing people I have ever met.


Today was a very special and meaningful day and we truly have the ultimate gratitude to everyone who made this possible.


Update on our Storage Facility Building located at Walnut Lane Park


The building is nearing completion, and the public works crew is beginning to make their move!



Volunteers Needed!


West Pikeland Township is currently seeking township residents to volunteer for the following positions:


Park and Recreation Committee


Environmental Advisory Council


Open Space Committee


No experience required, just a willingness to provide a lending hand in our township. Interested? Fill out our Volunteer Form and we will be in touch!

Click to Volunteer >
UPCOMING MEETINGS

Board of Supervisors Meeting

Tuesday, January 2, 2024 @ 7:30pm


1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs



The public is welcome to attend. Please enter via the lower courtyard.


Agendas are posted here the Friday before meetings.


The

Parks and Recreation Meeting

Thursday, January 11, 2024 @ 7:30pm


The January meeting will be held at the Chester Springs Library



The public is welcome to attend.

Planning Commission Meeting

January 10, 2024 @ 6:00pm


1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs



The public is welcome to attend. Please enter via the lower courtyard.

Environmental Advisory Council Meeting

January 9, 2024 @ 7:30pm



1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs


The public is welcome to attend. Please enter via the lower courtyard.

Open Space Committee Meeting

January 11, 2024 @ 7:00pm.


1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs



The public is welcome to attend. Please enter via the lower courtyard.

Board of Supervisors Meeting

January 16, 2024 @ 7:30pm


1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs



The public is welcome to attend. Please enter via the lower courtyard.


Agendas are posted here the Friday before meetings.

West Pikeland Land Trust Meeting

January 22, 2024 @ 6:30pm


1645 Art School Road, Chester Springs



The public is welcome to attend. Please enter via the lower courtyard.

Meeting information, including agendas, can be found on our website

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CHESTER SPRINGS LIBRARY

Happy New Year from Chester Springs Library

1709 Art School Road, Chester Springs   610-827-9212

 

We’re looking forward to spending the winter months with you at the library. Join us for a program, grab a great book, or just stop in to say hi! Here are a few of our events planned for January:

 

January 9 @ 2:30PM – Chess for Kids. Join other young chess enthusiasts to play, learn, and socialize.

 

January 15 (MLK Jr Day) @ 1PM – Crazy Quilts & Cocoa. This is a family program. Drop in and decorate paper quilt squares. Leave the squares at the library to create a community quilt to be displayed all winter. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while you create.

 

January 23 OR 25 @ 1:30PM – Collage Creations. Choose a day and join Miss Susie for a deep dive into the art of collage. Registration is required. For students in grades K through 8.

 

January 16 & 30 @ 10:30AM – Legos for ages 4 and over. Free building with friends.

 

For all our programs, details, and registration information, visit www.chesterspringslibrary.org and check out our events calendar.


B-r-r-r. We know it’s cold out now, but it’s also time to start planning your garden. Have you borrowed seeds from our seed library? It’s time to restock for 2024. You can help us by donating saved seeds, leftover seeds, or purchasing seeds to give back.


Thank you so much!


Patrons will borrow a million e-books by the end of 2023!

Wow! If you’re not familiar with using e-books ask us for a demo the next time you visit the library. You can read or listen on your hand held device, laptop, or desktop computer. And, you can take your reading and listening to go with the Libby app. Once your book is downloaded you don’t need WiFi, and audio books can bluetooth to speakers and cars. Our e-books are available through the Overdrive catalog at  https://chester.overdrive.com/  Take a look and get excited about the possibilities waiting for you.


COMMUNITY EVENTS
MORE INFO >

SALT Theatre

tick, tick... BOOM!

January 12-21

Before Rent, there was Tick, Tick... Boom!. This autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning composer of Rent, is the story of a composer and the sacrifices that he made to achieve his big break in theatre. Containing fourteen songs, ten characters, three actors and a live band, Tick, Tick... Boom! takes you on the playwright/composer's journey that led to a Broadway blockbuster.

Rated PG-13 for language and mature content.


This production takes place at our

West Chester location: 

19 Hagerty Blvd West Chester PA 19382


MORE INFO >

Alcohol Inks Basics and Masking Techniques


Saturday, January 6, 2024

10:00am - 4:00pm

This class can be taken as a continuation from previous Alcohol Ink workshops or independent from previous workshops. We’ll go over the basics of alcohol inks in the first half of the workshop. You will receive a detailed supply list and learn recommended supplies, techniques, safety concerns and how to finish your work for presentation. For the second half of the workshop, we will focus on using various masking techniques to control where alcohol inks are applied.


Learn how to:

  • Blending, layering, and fading techniques
  • Creating shapes with alcohol ink
  • Manipulating inks
  • How to erase or lift inks
  • Mask, tape, delineate areas and apply lines to define.


All supplies will be provided, with a supply fee paid directly to the instructor.

This workshop is geared towards the beginner with no artistic background through to the experienced alcohol ink artist seeking new techniques and artistic development. All level welcomed…the only requirement is a spirit of adventure! For former students, material and techniques will be new and different.

About Theresa Groff, TAO

Theresa Groff, also known as TAO, is an intuitive alcohol ink artist, heavily influenced by the renaissance of Chester County. She states, “My art is a conversation with higher self. I love the medium of alcohol inks because there is no control; you let go and succumb to the flow. If a mistake happens, that mistake was put there to learn and grow. I know a painting is done when my intuition indicates there is nothing more, I can learn from this ‘conversation’.”

Always happy to share her joy of alcohol inks, TAO now teaches and thoroughly enjoys when students are amazed at the work they create.

DARC

Winter Newsletter

DARC is very excited about the upcoming year. We have some exciting news to announce! Everyone needs to keep an eye out in their mailboxes for the 2024 DARC Program Guide.

This paper brochure will include most of the 2024 programing options for March-December. Additional programs will be added to our website once the brochure is printed.

More Info
CHESTER COUNTY INFORMATION


HAPPY NEW YEAR! LET’S RESOLVE TO BE TRASH SMART

Patti Lynn, Recycling Resources Manager

 

What does it mean to be Trash Smart? It means to be more thoughtful and

engaged in how you manage solid waste in your everyday life. It is behavior.

If you buy that new thing, what will you do with the old thing? How can

you stop wasting food? What does “away” mean when we throw stuff

away? This Trash Smart series will address different household waste streams, and today we start

with recycling.

 

We make about 30,000 decisions in a day. If we consistently make the right decisions about

recycling, then recycling right becomes a good habit, and your mind can focus on other decisions.

How can you recycle right?

▪ First, go to your municipal resources or your private recycling hauler and print out the list

of acceptable and unacceptable materials for recycling where you live. It may also include

the collection schedule. Post that list in a spot near your recycling container. Don’t know

what to do with that plastic takeout box? Look at the list! Done!

▪ Yes, plastic is confusing. At least know that you should be recycling plastic bottles that

have a neck (think water, milk, juice, detergent). It’s the other plastic containers that give

us a headache. If in doubt, check it out. Not everything can be recycled!

▪ Universally NOT accepted in your recycling bins: batteries, food waste, plastic bags, any

hangers, wire, diapers, scrap metal. Look at your list! And throw away anything smaller

than a credit card; this includes bottle caps.

 

Why is it important? Chester County is a scenic, diverse community of 534,000 people. Some

benefits of our collective recycling efforts:

▪ Municipalities earned nearly $1M from PA Recycling Performance grant awards in 2021.

▪ Our two local landfills, Lanchester and SECCRA, have more years to take your trash. More

than 310,000 tons of recyclables were diverted in 2021.

▪ That’s the equivalent of saving 33M gallons of gas.

 

To sum it up, get your local recycling list and post it up. Focus on what is acceptable. Empty, clean,

dry, and loose materials (not bagged; but paper bags for paper are OK). And over and over again.

It’s not hard – it’s Trash Smart

West Pikeland Township | westpikeland.com
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