The need for trails and greenways has been recognized by a variety of National, State, Regional and local organizations to enable preservation of wildlife by preserving habitat, improved health through exercise, reduced emissions through alternate means of safe transportation, etc. Hiking, biking, riding, nature study and other trail-related activities rate highly in the Township survey and in the minds of Township officials.
As part of its planning effort, the Open Space Committee developed a conceptual trail
plan to help decide where to try to preserve land or to acquire land to connect preserved
lands. This plan has been incorporated into the Township’s Comprehensive Plan. (To view
the conceptual trail, see
Figure 9-1: Recreational Resources Plan
.)
Our strategy was to build on plans from the
Chester County Planning Commission
and other regional planning groups. Specifically, they had identified trail corridors along
the branches of the White Clay and Elk Creeks and the PA/DE/MD borders. We tried to connect
these trails to Franklin and neighboring Township’s emerging trail systems as well as local
and regional destinations such as Crossan Park, Kemblesville, White Clay Creek Preserve and
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area. Longer term we wanted to provide direct access
to the trail systems to residents from their homes when, and if, they desired them.
We applied for and received grants from PECO Energy’s Green Region Program and the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to help pay the costs of a formal trail study ($24,000 of around a $39,000 total cost), which is required to apply for state and county funds for trail development. Ray Ott & Associates was chosen as the lead consulting firm with two partnering firms applying their specialized expertise. The study concluded at the end of 2008.
We (Franklin, London Grove and New Garden Townships) also received a Chester County Vision
Partnership Program and another from the White Clay Wild & Scenic River Program for a study
to determine the feasibility and cost of building a trail linking proposed trails in the
three Townships. This study was concluded at the end of 2009. (For more information and the
conclusions of the study, see
Inter-Municipal Trail Link Study
.)
For more information on the grant programs, see Exelon's Green Region: PECO Open Space Grant Program and Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources's (DCNR's) Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program (PRTP).
– Last updated December 16, 2009