The township building has a beautiful ceiling

ask me why I know... 🤦🏼‍♀️

It’s always a testing ground around here, trying new things to see what sticks. Starting this week, I will try to offer a weekly update on some of the news and events around Chadds Ford. Let’s call it the Wednesday Weekly. Look for this every Wednesday to get you through hump day into the weekend.

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In today’s edition:

• New retail in Chadds Ford + fancy township ceilings (and civic engagement)

• Patton Spring Carnival 🎈

• Road and trail clean up this weekend! They need you 🫵🏼

• No Mow May and native planting in our yards

• Wine and chocolate pairing event for charity

• National Library Week (hey, that’s me 👋🏼)

• The sidewalk sale at The Wardrobe

• A few other goodies

• Your turn to vote: Should PA Independents vote in primary elections?

• Got anything else?

New retail + small steps for easier civic engagement

Did you know some new retail spaces will open in Painter’s Crossing? The township approved moving forward with the construction of an additional building in the existing Village at Painter’s Crossing (Rt 1 and 202). The Henderson Group owns the retail property and will build and manage the new space.

The township meeting on April 9, 2025, included a robust discussion about the building. Rich Schwartzman from Chadds Ford Live did a great job covering the facts, so I’ll let you check them out. The design reminds me of a slightly more modern aesthetic of the building where Chipotle, Crumbl, and Starbucks cohabitate near Wegmans (with three little retail slots in the middle instead of one).

During the hour-plus discussion, Supervisor Samantha Reiner suggested the project include more sidewalks and a covered bus station, something the county has been advocating. I love that it helps those local businesses in the area attract workers who may prefer or need public transportation, and it continues to make our town more walkable, one small step at a time.

They didn’t include it this time, but I hope it’s an idea we revisit in the future and for other development projects. Chadds Ford isn’t very walkable for obvious reasons, but it could be great to make small investments over time to change that. Thanks to Supervisor Reiner for advocating for a more walkable Chadds Ford as the community develops!

p.s. what ceiling distractions say about civic engagement

On a separate and more comical note, I caught myself admiring the lovely ceiling of the township building during the rather long and tedious discussion about this development.

As I looked at the ceiling, it was clear why local civic engagement is low. Few of us have the time or interest to endure the tedium (which is not a reflection of the leaders but of the process) of municipal matters. Transparency is essential, and I value it. But I wonder if there’s a better way.

I wish we could follow the ebbs and flows of our local city government more closely without being distracted by ceilings. 🥱 Got any ideas?

For now, thank people like Rich Schwartzman of Chadds Ford Live for showing up with his recorder, taking notes, and summarizing for the rest of us. 🫶🏼

I also would like to see the township record the meetings and post videos online soon after they occur, much like the Unionville-Chadds Ford school district does. Virtual real-time streaming makes participation more accessible, which is a good start. It would be great to be able to watch at a later date, start and stop, or skim to specific sections of the meeting.

I’ve mentioned it to the township manager and plan to make a more formal request next time I attend a township meeting. If you think that would be helpful, email the township and let them know the offering would benefit residents!

FYI: The township building has a beautiful ceiling. Yes, I took a photo with my phone during the discussion. 🫠 Come with me to a future meeting to admire the architecture together. 💛

Ceiling of the township building

🎈 Inflatables, snacks, and games galore!

Let your kids have a blast at the annual Patton Carnival that raises money for Patton Middle School PTO. I have never been, but my son will go with his friends this year. It’s classic, old-school fun for the kiddos for a cause. Win-win! I’m making chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles for the bake sale, so look for my creation if you stop by. 🧁

Help clean up our community

The Chadds Ford Township Residents Association and Chadds Ford Township have a two-fer for you this week. They’re partnering to clean up our roadsides and show Sunset Hill Preserve some love this weekend. It’s a ‘better-late-than-never’ party for Earth Day! Make it your outdoor workout for the day. 💪🏼 See the flyers below for details. No need to sign up if you haven’t already; just show up with a neighborly attitude and some friends. 🫶🏼

Calling all gardeners!

It’s No Mow May, friends! 🐝 That means you can skip mowing your lawn for May, and the pollinators will thank you. 🦋 Not everyone loves No Mow May, but the premise is particularly relevant for places like Chadds Ford, graced with large swaths of open space.

According to Bee City USA:

“No Mow May” is a quick and catchy name for a movement that aims far beyond not mowing the yard for a month. It’s more than long grass and dandelion blooms. It’s a gateway to understanding how we share our lawns with many small creatures. (source)

Lawns take time, money, and resources (including chemical fertilizers and irrigation) to maintain and offer little to the ecosystem in return. We can use our green spaces so much more productively!

Local University of Delaware Professor Doug Tallamy started Homegrown National Park, an organization that “raises awareness and urgently inspires everyone to address the biodiversity crisis by adding native plants and removing invasive ones where we live, work, learn, pray, and play.” By turning our little pieces of green into rich habitats of native plants, we can help restore the biodiverse ecosystems so crucial to our community!

Homegrown National Park has many resources on its site, and the Brandywine Conservancy started a Native Garden Hub to help us find the best plants to revitalize our yards and protect our planet!

Wine & chocolate for charity!

Mark your calendar and get your tickets before they sell out. 37 Chocolates is hosting a wine and chocolate pairing event at Grace Winery to support Kennett Area Community Service. 37 Chocolates is a chocolate connoisseur offering all sorts of chocolate from around the world. A chocolate party? Yes please!

Hello👋🏼 from National Library Week

As the President of the Board of the Rachel Kohl Community Library and the appointed Chadds Ford representative, I was pleased to receive the township’s recognition of National Library Week. If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of the library. 📚 If you haven’t visited the library lately, come stop by! We’re gearing up for summer and have a ton of good stuff planned for people of all ages.

Secondhand clothes for a cause is my jam

The Wardrobe is a secondhand clothing shop with a mission and a location in Kennett Square. It helps women get back on their feet and find employment, including securing an empowering wardrobe. The store has a curated collection of resale pieces for sale to the community, and proceeds support its mission. On May 3, there will be a sidewalk sale with a great deal on all its goodies! Stop by to check it out.

What do you think about PA primaries?

There’s growing discussion that Pennsylvania should have open primaries and/or let independents vote in primaries. Currently, only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote in primaries. This leaves many voters shut out of primary elections, where (arguably) the real choices are made in many contests. I’d love to see ranked choice voting, but I don’t think PA is there yet.

In Chadds Ford, many people lean independent and vote differently than their registered party affiliation (based on a comparison of voter registration vs. voting outcomes in recent elections). Many people in our community would likely benefit from more freedom for eligible voters to participate in primary elections despite being registered as Independents. Tell me what you think. 👇🏼

Got anything else?

If you have other upcoming events or interesting news for Chadds Ford, please share the details in the comments so we can learn more about it!