Friday, April 21, 2017

Newark Post: Push for county park on former orphanage site remains strong

Lisa Diller, NCC 5th District
A tip of the helmet goes to Karie Simmons for an excellent article in the Newark Post. Hope for a regional park in Ogletown remains strong, but with Councilwoman Diller an unwilling champion, it will be difficult to track Exec Meyer's progress. As much as we would like to back off and trust that our leaders will follow through, episodes of poor decorum and lack of communication remains a stumbling block. Excerpts:

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer says he is “committed” to finding the funding the county needs to buy the Felician Sisters’ 181-acre parcel on East Chestnut Hill Road and turn it into a public park.

“Not only am I committed to it, I’ve already made numerous phone calls about it,” Meyer said Tuesday during a Civic League for New Castle County meeting.

Several members of the group Save The Orphanage Property (STOP) – formerly Save Ogletown Pond – turned out to the meeting at the Christiana Presbyterian Church on North Old Baltimore Pike to protest the controversial housing development planned for the land at 487 E. Chestnut Hill Road, which is just east of Newark, and press Meyer for updates on the community’s desire for a park there instead.

Angela Connolly, a Todd Estates resident and STOP co-founder, said that over the past two years she has spent fighting the project, she has often heard the words “last chance.”

[Full article . . .]

Yours truly commenting to Executive Meyer that the TIS (Transportation Impact Study) for the Chestnut Hill "Preserve" is all but worthless. It was doctored in favor of the developer, to fall short of nearby failed signalized intersections thus giving the project the go-ahead. Angela Connolly is seated to my left. (photo by Karie Simmons)

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Cycle For Cecil set for April 29th


Cycle for Cecil begins at 8:00 a.m.at the beautiful Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area and travels through scenic Cecil County, Maryland. There are three distances to be traveled on the ride - 15 miles, 50K (31 miles), or 100K (62 miles). All routes have multiple well-manned rest stops that provide drinks, snacks, and restrooms. Upon completion of the ride, cyclists are rewarded with Kilby Cream Ice Cream and homemade goodies. Cycle for Cecil benefits the Cecil Land Trust, which works to preserve the open space and farmland that makes Cecil County so unique. Registration is available through Active.com and on the day of the event, this year on April 29th, 2017.

This is a beautiful ride through the beautiful countryside of Cecil County Maryland. Cecil County is located in the north east corner of Maryland, on the Delaware border. The ride will take you through some of the vast open space that Cecil County Land Trust has worked to protect. The ride has multiple stops for drinks, snacks, and restrooms. The roads are very well marked, and the views are amazing!

Your participation not only supports a great ride, but helps fund the preservation of farmland, woodlands, natural habitat and historic rural communities in Cecil County. The efforts of the Cecil Land Trust may be what keeps Cecil County a rural landscape, the one that our recreational, touring, and competitive cyclists enjoy today. To that end, bicycling organizations in Delaware should actively support this event. Let's hope they do!


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Friday, April 7, 2017

NCC Executive Matt Meyer to speak at Civic League meeting

NCC Executive Matt Meyer will be the featured guest at the next New Castle County Civic League meeting on April 18. The topic will be land use. It is critical that bicyclists attend, as over-development and endless widening of arterial roads and intersections directly impacts the safety of non-motorized users.

The meeting is being held at the Christiana Presbyterian Church, 15 North Old Baltimore Pike in Christiana. A google map link is included on the meeting page.



Help us spread the word, and encourage others to attend! Responsible development, historical preservation, and saving open space are all critical for healthy communities. Biodiversity, fresh water, clean air, and limiting traffic congestion are also key. Curbing suburban sprawl also relieves the pressure to increase property taxes. Land use policy is critical, and that is exactly what Matt plans to discuss. Hope to see you there!