Chester Heights is buying 40.2 acres of the Powell property at Valleybrook and Smithbridge roads for use as public space, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.
The borough plans to spend $3.4 million for the parcel which consists of rolling meadows, woodlands, and a tributary to Chester Creek.
If this purchase hadn’t been made, the property would likely have been sold for development, said Kristen Werner, senior director of communications for Natural Lands, which announced the purchase with borough officials.
“In particular, with the new Wawa SEPTA station, that area is more desirable to commuters,” she said in an email.
The borough will create low-impact trails on the property for public use.
Natural Lands is applying for a number of grants on the borough’s behalf with $1.25 million raised so far toward the purchase.
The open Powell property helps reduce flooding by slowing and absorbing stormwater. It also filters rainwater before it enters Chester Creek.
The creek is one of the healthiest in Delaware County because much of the land along it remains undeveloped. The creek is part of a watershed that provides drinking water to 15 million people.
Read more about this land buy in Chester Heights in the Daily Times.
