With so much going on around town. Catch up on what you may have missed.
It’s Friday, September 13. Have my cries been answered? A new entertainment complex is in the works that tailors to both adults and kids. Plus, changes to the parking garage fee structure, Borough Council looks to add a discrimination policy, and what’s planned for the old Yale Electric Lighting building. Ok, it’s time. Grab that pumpkin spice latte and let’s get going,
A moment to remember. This week marked the eighteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorists attacks. It was commemorated by schools and businesses taking a moment to reflect.
Another empty building is claimed. For months now, my husband and I argued about what was going into the old Yale Electric Lighting building. He thought it was a strip mall. I thought it was another brewery. Well, we were both wrong. It is Stumpy’s Hatchet House. The ax throwing chain will have couches to lounge on, picnic tables and Jenga sets. It’s byo food and beer. While there is no official date yet, according to Patch, the owners say they are “about a month” away from opening.
And if that’s not enough excitement for you… there is now word that a whole entertainment center is in the works somewhere in West Chester. There will be a restaurant with outdoor dining and live music, an arcade, more ax throwing, a trampoline park, miniature golf, and a ninja-warrior style obstacle course for the kiddos. (Maybe someone was listening?) The owners of this new facility are hoping to break ground in January and open in mid-2020. Just in time for summer.
“That’s a lot for a small business to take up. Let’s try to get this slowed down a bit.”
-Businessman Patrick Comerford, of Jane Chalfant
Lot is full. Demand is so great for the Borough’s limited parking spaces there is now a waiting list for full-time spots in both the Chestnut Street and Bicentennial (High Street) garages. To help alleviate this parking stress the Borough is proposing a change to it’s parking garage fee structure.
Currently parking costs $90/month for unlimited use. Under the new proposed pricing structure day rates would increase to $115/month (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.), while evening only rates (5 p.m. to 8 a.m.) would drop to $50/month. The thinking is the increased day rate would encourage those that don’t need daytime parking, but use it out of convenience, to move their vehicle and save the money. Thus freeing the space for other users. Many local businesses, who cover the cost of parking for their patrons, are concerned about the changes.
Although the agenda is not out yet, new rate proposal will likely be discussed at next week’s Borough Council meeting. (Wed. 7 p.m., Borough Hall, if you want to weigh in on the changes.)
Can I talk to you for a minute in my office? The Borough is discussing adding an “Antidiscrimination” clause to the Administrative section of the Borough code. No reason was stated for the proposed changes, (cough, Bill Scott, cough).
While, the final language still has to be reviewed and approved, this should give you the gist:
“No Member of [the government] shall engage in discrimination… on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, use or guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids, regardless of whether the conduct occurs during the discharge of official Borough business or otherwise.”
Is there a doctor in the house? Good Fellowship Ambulance has announced it will be opening two new substations in the greater West Chester area. While the main station will continue to cover the Borough, substations will help manage call volume and lower response time.
I’ll drink to that. Remember that beer you drank in May, the one with the themed-name? Wait, that’s all of them. Anyway, if that beer happened to be Iron Hill’s Fighting 51st IPA, you’re good deed came to bear last week when Iron Hill donated the proceeds, $1424 to be exact, to West Chester 51st Fire Company.
If you prefer your good deed drinks not have an alcohol content, five-year-old Adelaide Fieldhouse is your girl. Adelaide set up a lemonade stand outside Marshall Square Park to raise money to bring toddler equipment to the Marshall Square Playground. (Her initial proposal to raise money for more stuffed animals was shot down by her mom. Oh, mom.) In total she raised $139.50 for the park. Interested in adding to her cause? You can donate here.
“Once we do it, it spreads like mad. Kindness is contagious.”
-Author and counselor Lisa Barrickman
40 days, 40 acts of kindness. Stetson Middle School students have begun a kindness journey. Over the next 40 days, they will complete a series of “kindness challenges.” At the end of each day they will write the act of kindness, either received or completed, on a post-it note. Post-its will be tacked to the hallways of the school as a reminder of the power of good deeds.
The warnings. Watch where you’re lighting that thing. Namely fireworks in the Borough. According to the nuances of PA state law (carefully outlined in the Mayor’s latest newsletter), aerial fireworks are as good as banned in the borough. If you would like to report fireworks being set off, call the police but do it quickly. Once the sparks and smoke fade, perpetrators can be hard to catch.
Several downtown roads closed starting at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. Gay Street will be closed from Matlack to New Street: Market will be closed from High to New Street; and pretty much every cross street in between. On a bright note, garage parking is only $10 for the day – but get there early, I hear there’s parking shortage.
The accolades. Congratulations to the following eight West Chester seniors who have been named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. From Henderson: Vijay K. Anne, Vikram Chodapaneedi, Ethan F. Kilroy, Aravind Viswanathan; From Rustin: Matthew Ferguson, Justin Morrison, Catherine Zhu; From East: Josh Lewin. Scholarship winners will be named in the spring. Way to go!
Also props to West Chester University Football Coach Bill Zwaan for surviving the offseason and leading the team to their first win of the season on Saturday. If you want to see the Golden Rams in action, next home game will be September 21 against Seton Hill
Give back. Safe Harbor of West Chester is in need of a few items: coffee (regular and decaf), powdered lemonade and powdered iced tea. Add them to your shopping list if you can, and call Melissa (610-340-1183) to arrange a drop off time.
The freakin’ weekend. What are you up to this weekend? We have a birthday party and two, yes, two, soccer games, including one on Sunday. Still hoping to make it out to at least part of Restaurant Fest. Word on the street, is they asked vendors to offer smaller, cheaper portions so patrons can try more dishes. Love that.
Of course, that’s not all that’s going on. Here are a few more options.
Mark your calendars:
- West Chester STOMPS Cancer 5K, Downtown, Sept. 13
- Chester County Restaurant Festival, Downtown, Sept. 15
- Ray Didinger, The Uptown! Speaker Series, Sept. 17
- Treehouse Yoga for Preschoolers, Starkweather Elementary School, Sept. 18 (registration required)
- History on the Terrace: Talk & Tour, Chester County Historical Society, Sept. 19
- After Hours Alien Raid Teen Party, West Chester Public Library, Sept. 20 (registration required)
- Unite for Her 5K, Downtown West Chester, Sept. 21
- International Day of Peace march, meet at the Courthouse steps, Sept. 21
- Recycled Art Sale, Everhart Park, Sept. 21
- Treehouse building workshop, Treehouse World, Sept. 21- Sept. 22
- Fall Block Party, E. Lafayette St., Sept. 28
- Oktoberfest, Thornbury Farm, Sept. 28
That’s it. We made it.
Hope you enjoyed another issue of the Weekly Roundup! Here’s last week’s if you missed it. For those I promised a welcome email, know it is coming. It just turns out it wasn’t quite as ready as I thought. If you’d like to see what’s causing me such distress, sign up for the blog using your email address. Otherwise, I’ll see you next week when I plan to tackle big issues like, the Borough’s best breakfast.