A New Rail Trail for Chester County by Debbie Early
Do you or your husband work or shop in Great Valley? Do you want to be able to cycle to work or the store? Join Friends of Chester Valley Trail to help make this happen.
Where is the trail?
An old railway line in Chester County is being converted to a commuter trail. The Chester Valley Trail (CVT) corridor roughly follows route 30 and 202 through central Chester County for over 18 miles, providing a major artery through this area. The trail will ultimately link Downingtown and parks in East and West Whiteland, Eastown, and Tredyffrin Townships. It will pass the Vanguard campus and the Worthington Development in Malvern, Barnes and Noble, Valley Fair and Gateway Shopping Centers. It will pass through Malvern, Paoli, Berwyn, Devon, Wayne and Strafford before joining a link to the Schuykill River Trail through King of Prussia. It will also provide a feeder link to Valley Forge Park through Chesterbrook. See the map. Construction of Phase I, the 3.9 mile portion from Exton Park Site east to Route 29, is due for completion by Fall of 2010. Phase II will run from Route 29 east to Warner Road in King of Prussia is 7.6 miles. Phase III will complete the project by connecting Phase I to Downingtown.
Why do we need a trail?
The CVT will offer recreational and commuter opportunities in a corridor of Chester County where thousands of people work and live. It is estimated there are over 85 000 jobs as well as professional buildings, corporate centers, and shopping malls within a 10 mile radius of the trail.
Who are the Friends of Chester Valley Trail?
This is a non-profit group passionate about recreation and the environment which aims to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all users of the Chester Valley Trail.
The Friends of Chester Valley Trail (FCVT) group is dedicated to all trail-related activities. There will be group objectives involving promotion of activities such as:
· Suggesting improvements;
· Alerting the Chester County Parks and Recreation Department to problems along the trail;
· Providing assistance in reducing trail maintenance costs;
· Identifying local businesses which can provide services needed for maintenance of the trail.
When and Where are Meetings?
The Friends group meets once a month on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm at the East Whiteland Building. This month only, due to the primary elections next week, the group will meet on Wednesday May 19th.
How can you get involved?
The group is looking for volunteers to help with promoting (e.g., writing brochures) and maintaining (e.g., weed control) the trail. The trail is designed for walkers, joggers, cyclists, and non-motorized users. You can help by being a board member, by helping with the Web site or Facebook page, by contacting local businesses for parking or amenities, and in due course, by riding the trail. Contact Ben LaGarde (BenLaGarde2@gmail.com) for more information.
Debbie Early, PhD – Mother of a five year old, Principal of Waratah Communications LLC, and Volunteer for FCVT, lives and works in Chester County.
Philaburban Mom 