Aston Township has agreed to buy 43 acres of open land from the Sisters of St. Francis, writes Pete Bannon for the Daily Times.

The property of woods and open space is bounded by Red Hill Road and Convent Road.

Aston Township commissioners approved the purchase in a recent vote.  The Sisters of St. Francis is downsizing its order and reached out in May 2021 to Aston Township about selling the land.

Aston Commissioner John Dougherty valued the property in August at $2.5 million.

“I want to thank the Sisters of St. Francis, for taking care of the land, being good stewards for decades, and trusting the township to preserve this land,” Dougherty said.

Dougherty said the township is about $250,000 short of the purchase price.

.A Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant awarded nearly $1.1 million and a Delaware County Greenways grant will contribute $500,000.

Aston will contribute $100,000 toward the purchase.

The township is applying for more state grants and a private funder has agreed to make up the difference in the purchase price.

A final agreement of sale is expected in the second quarter of 2023.

Read more at the Daily Times about this land purchase in Aston.

Find out more about the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia.