West Vincent Township Establishes New Municipal Park at Bryn Coed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA, Pa., July 26, 2018 – West Vincent Township’s park system doubled in size today with the acquisition of a 72-acre property nestled within the former Bryn Coed Farms. Natural Lands purchased the entirety of the 1,505-acre Bryn Coed Farms from the Dietrich family in June of last year to protect it from development.
West Vincent purchased the property for $950,000 from Natural Lands using the Township’s dedicated open space fund.
Plans for the new passive recreation park include the construction of a loop trail that will connect to the larger trail system Natural Lands is establishing on its adjacent 520-acre Bryn Coed nature preserve. Two trail connections between the park and preserve are slated to open to the public in late fall 2018. The third trail connection, is projected to open to the public in 2019. The Township will also raze several long-abandoned structures constructed in the 1960s for Bryn Coed’s dairy operation.
“It was a pleasure working with Natural Lands over the course of several years to accomplish saving Bryn Coed from the residential development of 600 to 700 potential homes,” said John Jacobs, chairman of the West Vincent Township Board of Supervisors. “Protecting this property has long been a concern of our residents. All will now enjoy the benefit of this open space and trails.”
“The effort to save Bryn Coed Farms could not have happened without the support we received from a myriad of partners, including West Vincent Township,” said Molly Morrison, Natural Lands’ president. “Together, Bryn Coed Preserve, the Township park, and the surrounding preserved lands, creates an extraordinary open space resource for the residents of West Vincent and beyond.”
In the 1970’s, the three Dietrich brothers began assembling Bryn Coed by acquiring adjoining farms as they became available. One of these properties was the 700-acre former homestead of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Owen J. Roberts. Roberts moved there in 1929 and named his farm Bryn Coed, which means “wooded hill” in Welsh. The Dietrichs amassed what was one of the largest remaining undeveloped, unprotected tracts of land in the Greater Philadelphia region.
Natural Lands is dedicated to preserving and nurturing nature’s wonders while creating opportunities for joy and discovery in the outdoors for everyone. As the Greater Philadelphia region’s oldest and largest land conservation organization, Natural Lands has preserved more than 125,000 acres, including 43 nature preserves totaling more than 23,000 acres. Some 2.5 million people live within five miles of land under the organization’s protection. Land for life, nature for all. natlands.org.
West Vincent Township is a Township of the second class located in northern Chester County with a population of 4,567 and an area of 17.9 square miles. For more information, visit www.westvincenttwp.org.
Media Inquiries:
Kirsten Werner, Director of Communications, Natural Lands
610-353-5587 ext. 267, 267-222-0072 (mobile)
kwerner@natlands.org
Erica Batdorf, Township Manager, West Vincent Township
610-458-1601
ebatdorf@westvincenttwp.org
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