Come together at The Crown to Save Ridge
History may not repeat itself, but it certainly rhymes. Did you know that the Brandywine Conservancy was founded in 1967 when “a group of local residents bought the endangered land at auction” because the area “faced massive industrial development. The impact in floodplain areas, in particular, would have been devastating to the water supply for numerous communities…” Sound familiar?
Just in the last ten years, we’ve seen Beaver Valley, Crebilly Farm, and now the nameless plot of land at the intersection of Route 202 and Ridge Rd face similar fates.
💭 Btw, that plot of land needs a name… what should we call it? I know the goal is to save Ridge Road and other nearby collector roads from traffic inundation, but I feel like the land itself needs a name. Any suggestions?
In the cases of Beaver Valley and Crebilly Farm, a scrappy group of neighbors combined forces to protect the land from development most neighbors never wanted to see. The futures of Beaver Valley and Crebilly Farm have been substantially settled, but the land on Ridge Road and Route 202 remains in limbo.
The land is slated for commercial development, though various elements of the current development plan face zoning and environmental hurdles (largely due to pressure from residents who have been vocal about adhering to the nuances of township code, environmental reviews, and other development-related guardrails and milestones). You can read more about the land-use saga here and here, and I need to do another update, too… because, ya know, it all keeps changing.
Come out + come together to Save Ridge
For now, our neighbor friends fighting the good fight for the preservation of land, water, and less traffic need money and extra hands to support their work. To spread the word and generate a broader coalition of community members rallying around saving Ridge Road, they’re hosting a community gathering this Friday, May 15, from 5-7 pm at The Crown.
Event tickets cost $49 and include:
- Buffet dinner
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Cash bar available
- Door prizes from local businesses
The organizers request that everyone RSVP and purchase tickets in advance. RSVP via email at [email protected], and you’ll get more details about how to pay for your ticket via Venmo, Zelle, or check.
If you need to make a last-minute decision and purchase a ticket at the door, it’s allowed. But an RSVP in advance helps the planning process. We all know it’s easier to plan a party when you know how many people are coming! 🫶🏻 Do them a solid and give ’em a heads up that you’ll be there if you can.
Good stories travel best from neighbor to neighbor.
If this story matters to you, pass it along. It’s the best way to keep community journalism growing in Chadds Ford. Email or text it to a friend. Share on socials. Spread the word.
Get to know neighbors over something that impacts us all
The main goal of the event is to bring together neighbors to share their ideas, concerns, and energy around the Save Ridge project and the potential future development. An open mic will be available to facilitate discussion. There will also be plenty of opportunities for neighbors to chat and connect individually throughout the event.
Even if you don’t have strong feelings about the development, this is a great opportunity to hang out with neighbors. We need more chances to look longingly into each other’s eyes… just kidding. 😍 But we do need more IRL meet-ups. So stop the scrolling, send the RSVP email, and park your car in The Crown parking lot, which is already paved, so you can talk about how not to pave more Giant giant parking lots along Route 202 that we probably don’t need.
