DLN Editorializes Train Station Discussion

The Daily Local News followed their Thursday front page story on upgrading Parkesburg train station with an editorial this morning noting the need for a better train stop in western Chester County and encouraging those participating in the discussion about where to place the new station to find an appropriate solution.

The money quote:

We hope that all those involved will keep up the good work to determine the best way to attract more riders to the train line.

Here's the editorial in full:

__________________________________

Parkesburg's push for new or updated station worthwhile

Daily Local News Editorial

Amtrak service allows people who live in western Chester County or eastern Lancaster County to work in Philadelphia or Harrisburg (or to spend a vacation weekend in New York City) without putting miles on their cars and carbon monoxide in the air by driving to those locations.

And there are more than a few people who do just that. According to Amtrak figures, almost 50,000 riders annually use the Parkesburg station to get on one of the railroad system's trains — a number quite comparable with the popular Downingtown train station. But how many more riders would avail themselves of the service if there was a better appointed, and better located, train station in Parkesburg?

That's a partial question that a number of groups have tried to answer over the past several months, leading to meetings last month which asked residents and riders what they thought of the station and its future. Should it stay where it has been for decades at West First and South Culvert streets or should a new station be built behind the Parkesburg Borough building, or someplace in between?

What the community wants is a station that would project "a more welcoming environment," said Jim Thomas, Parkesburg borough manager, with better lighting, better parking and a better track crossover, Thomas said. Location is a big issue, too.

Parkesburg is a stop on Amtrak's Keystone Corridor Service route and falls between the stops in Lancaster and Coatesville, another station studying its options.

Parkesburg has a respectable ridership volume of 48,784 annually. The Downingtown Train Station has 59,129 Amtrak riders while Coatesville has 14,382 Amtrak riders. The busiest Amtrak stop in Chester County is Paoli with 153,154 Amtrak riders. According to Amtrak's website, the number of passengers using the Keystone Corridor service has increased by approximately 80 percent over the past four years.

"This is the last train station in Chester County next to Lancaster County," Thomas said. "For western Chester County and eastern Lancaster County, this is the transportation hub. It has easy access to routes 41, 30, 10 and 372."

But the issue of relocating the train station is problematic. The Parkesburg one-story train station (south side of the tracks) is very old and owned by Amtrak. Because it is owned by the railroad company, "the borough can't use it," Thomas said. "It's under a very restrictive contract." If the borough bought it from Amtrak, then it could become a museum or visitors' center, Thomas added.

All of those considerations, however, are pretty far down the track.

"This is a project we really want to do," Thomas said about the station upgrades or relocation. "We want to get it done for safety's sake for everybody."

We hope that all those involved will keep up the good work to determine the best way to attract more riders to the train line.

Costume Dinner Party Planned For Beale Manor

You're invited to a costume party at the Beale Manor on October 22nd. 

The staff at Beale Manor hope this will be an annual event highlighting a new theme each year. 

October 22nd is coming up and tickets are selling fast. We'd love to see you there.

Click to enlarge

For more information and to buy tickets call 610-857-5555 or visit Beale Manor's web site.

Is The Train Station Heading East?

A fantastic picture of Parkesburg's train station taken by Tom Kelly IV of the Daily Local News

An article in this morning's Daily Local News regarding the debate being waged over the future of Parkesburg's century old train station and whether a better location for the proposed new station being planned by PennDOT would be a quarter mile to the east behind Borough Hall on the South and Rocco and Anna's on the north side of the tracks.

At stake are better access from Routes 10, 30 and 41, better lighting, better parking and a better crossover for train riders and pedestrians alike.

Read the article here.

The money quote comes from Borough Manager Jim Thomas:

"This is the last train station in Chester County next to Lancaster County.  For western Chester County and eastern Lancaster County, this is the transportation hub. It has easy access to routes 41, 30, 10 and 372."

Parkesburg Yesterday

Main Street in Parkesburg looking west in front of the Methodist Church in January 1942 as posted on Facebook yesterday by Betsy Wilde Benner. 

3 State Reps Will Host Property Tax Forum Next Month In Parkesburg

Representative John Lawrence will be hosting a Property Tax Forum on October 11 at 7:00 pm at Parkesburg Borough Hall on First Avenue in Parkesburg. 

Joining Representative Lawrence will be Representatives Bryan Cutler from Quarryville, and Seth Grove from York County.   

The Forum will begin with a presentation detailing the current school funding system in Pennsylvania, challenges and opportunities for reform, and where those reform efforts are heading. 

There will be time for Q&A from those in attendance, and all residents of Southern Chester and Lancaster counties are welcome to attend.  Please RSVP to (610) 869-1602.  

Lines

Note: Several months ago, after striking up a friendship with Raoul Cervantes on Facebook, I asked him to consider writing a piece or two about his memories growing up in P'burg.   This post recalling the impact Sonny Skiles had on his life, both in the classroom and at Minch Park, is the first of what I hope will be many such entries here on Parkesburg Today. 

By Raoul Cervantes

In the summers, between the ages of 9 and 15, I spent most of my summer days at the playground, later named Minch Park. Every summer became a new milestone in my life, starting with being able to hit a ball thrown by another person, to eventually being able to control a fastball, so that it would land in the catcher’s mitt right at the batter’s knees, on the inside corner. 

But it was in the summer of 1964, when I was 13 years old, that I learned the fine art of “lining the field.”  In the late afternoon, after the kids finished using the baseball field, older people played baseball and softball.  A league made up of mainly high school students used the field once or twice a week, and a softball league, consisting of four teams, manned by grown ups used the field the rest of the week.  But the games could not be properly played without lines.

My apprenticeship in lining the field came about because the playground supervisor, Mr. Skiles, asked me to help him one afternoon.  Looking back, I am not sure why he did this.  It is possible that he actually needed someone to help him, since stretching out the string, and anchoring it in the ground, was no doubt easier with two people, even if one of them was a kid, with no lining experience.  It is also possible that this was just a logical extension of my relationship with Mr. Skiles.  He was my 8th grade social studies teacher before he became playground supervisor.  It is also possible that Mr. Skiles thought I could use an adult male role model, not that these exact words would have passed through his brain in 1964.  He might have thought I could use some “guidance” or maybe he sensed I needed something that he could offer, whatever that might be.  Nevertheless, one afternoon, he asked me if I wanted to hang around and help him line the field, and I said yes, I would.

Mr. Skiles was a clear voice in my head when I was in junior high school.  He had the most sublet way of motivating me.  I sat at my desk, riveted to his tales of American history in the 8th grade.  He was a captivating storyteller, who seemed to be oblivious to his narrative talents.  I listened to his tales and remembered everything. I was able to always get a solid “B” on his tests, without having to read one page or take any notes at all.  This, I think, caused Mr. Skiles to think I was lazy.

We had this thick 8th grade history book, that I mainly used to keep my pencils and old quizzes that Mr. Skiles graded and gave back to us.  We were assigned pages in this book every day to read and given Conestoga notebooks, with the light brown, covers, which we were to fill with notes, based on our reading.  All year long, I  never read any of the pages, nor took any notes.  Of course, I knew that one day, Mr. Skiles would collect the notebooks and see that I had not done my homework.  But, like the day I would die, or any other unpleasant event that occurred in a future exceeding the current week, I kept myself in complete denial.

One week, in May, Mr. Skiles announced that he would be collecting our notebooks and grading them for our work for the year.  That week, I worked for about an hour, writing notes, filling three pages, until I realized my attempt was completely futile, and quit.  It was then that Mr. Skiles said those words to me that I would never forget, “Gary, you will never go to college. You are too lazy.”  I wasn’t upset or angry, I just took it as a bit of knowledge that Mr. Skiles was sharing, and since he went to college himself, he would know.  Years later, I recalled that bit of advice, when I actually did go to college. But, Mr. Skiles was not one for sugar coating the truth, no new age, self esteem words of encouragement, just the simple truth, “You are just too lazy to go to college.”  So, I took that to mean that if I wasn’t so lazy, I could go to college.  He was right.

The opportunity to help Mr. Skiles line the field offered me a chance at redemption.  This was my moment to show him that I was not lazy, that I could finish the job, that I could do whatever it took, to line the field.  So, I often, during that summer, in the afternoon, went with Mr. Skiles, with the white lime, with that little lining machine, and the string, and the peg to anchor the string into the ground.  I held the peg, to stretch the string, to make a perfectly straight line, that we could trace, with the lime machine, to make a beautiful, white line on the grass and infield dirt.

The field needed to be lined, no matter how important the game.  The lines made the game possible, and the quality of the lines were important.  Every game deserved clean, well formed lines.  This was another lesson I took away from that job.  Sometimes it is not our game, and it may not seem important at first, but may later be seen as critical.  As people who lined the field, we had our own responsibilities.  The teams played baseball, we lined.

After we lined the field, we put away the equipment, and went home.  Later, that afternoon, after watching Mr. Ed, of which Mr. Skiles let me know, in no uncertain words, was a show that insulted his intelligence, I would return to the playground and watch the older kids or softball teams play and run down the field, down the lines I had helped draw, beautiful white lines.

Nickel Mines Remembered

Five years after an emotionally troubled truck driver seized an Amish school house killing 5 Amish school girls and wounding 5 others before turning the gun on himself, Elizabetown College hosted a conference entitled ""The Power of Forgiveness: Lessons from Nickel Mines."

The tragedy, which saw Parkesburg fire, EMT and police called into action, was remembered at the conference not so much for the horrible loss of life, recriminations or anguish, but for the remarkable spirit of forgiveness that emulated out of the Amish community just hours after the event.

At the conference a presenter read a note from a parent of one of the children wounded in the incident, describing how the surviving girls are doing:

"Four are doing well, while one — Rosanna King, now 11 — suffers the consequences of brain trauma.  Emotionally, it has been a roller coaster ride the last five years for everybody, but it seems as if all are doing as well as can be expected,"

The world saw first hand the Amish' remarkable spirit of forgiveness.  The sun had not set on that horrible day when Elders from the Nickel Mines Amish community visited the living room of the gunman's widow comforting her and offering their condolences and heartfelt sorrow.  As one speaker at the conference noted:

"Forgiveness is a way of life.  It is, at heart, a set of communal practices."

Read the entire article about the conference in this morning's LancasterOnline .

Lions Club Announce Flea Market

THE PARKESBURG LIONS CLUB WILL BE HOSTING A FLEA/FARMERS MARKET

DATE:   SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24TH    1ST AVENUE AT GRAND SPORTS AUTO LOT

                VENDORS AND NON-VENDORS INVITED TO ATTEND

TIME:   9 AM TILL 3 PM

COST:   $15.00/TABLE  (please bring your own table)

                    TEELS CHICKEN BBQ WILL ALSO BE ON SITE

CONTACT:   610-888-2969 FOR DETAILS AND TO REGISTER YOUR SPOT

Parkesburg Community Yard Sale this Saturday

This from Council President Mel Keen:

Parkesburg Community Yard Sale this Saturday September 24th, 8am-4pm.

Now is the time to turn your unused items into cash!  It is not too late to get on the yard sale map, call Wendy at Borough Hall by Wednesday, 610.857.2616  Or just set up in your front yard or drive.

Borough residents may also set up FREE in the Borough parking lot on First Ave in front of Borough Hall. All you need to do is call Borough Hall to reserve a space.

Please consider donating your yard sale left overs to a service organization, the local churches, ChesterCntyPAFreecycle@yahoogroups.com, Craigslist.com, or one of the many other groups that keep useable items out of the land fill.

At the very least if you put them out at the curb add a FREE sign so they my be picked up and re-used. 

Octorara Regional Planning Commission Notes

Parkesburg Borough Council President Mel Keen updates members of the the Octorara Regional Planning Commission on the Borough's West Bridge Street and train station projects.

Notes from last night’s Octorara Regional Planning Commission:

Parkesburg Borough Council President Mel Keen spoke about PennDot’s plan to upgrade the train station including the following points:

• The advantages of placing the station east of Culvert Street between Culvert and Route 10.  The advantages of the new location are 1) the availability of open space on both sides of the track for future parking lots 2) the possibility of building a pedestrian path over/under the tracks linking the town’s two business districts. 
• There are no road blocks standing in the way of this getting done.
• The tracks and signaling have all been upgraded. 
• A fence preventing pedestrians from walking across the tracks will run from one end of the borough to the other is planned. 
• The project is being funding by the stimulus money turned down by Florida. 
• PennDOT and Amtrak are developing designs and will come back to the borough with their ideas toward the end of the year.  Three different location scenarios are being considered.  They’re taking all the information of the three scenarios doing engineering and coming up with renderings for all three options.

West Bridge Street – Moving forward slowly.  We’ve done everything we need to do.  PennDOT is working to get the last part of their part of the program done.

Coatesville and Downingtown train stations will be upgraded as well.

The velodrome in Coatesville is expected to have a big impact on local businesses.  The Chester County Economic Development Council offered to do a presentation of the expected impact for Parkesburg Borough Council.

The idea of a Parkesburg Bypass from Route 10 to the industrial park west of Parkesburg similar to the one built around Strasburg several years ago was discussed.  The idea isn’t realistic because the road would require a bridge over the train tracks.

Representative John Lawrence spoke about Tastykake being bought out by a company in Georgia.  Company will keep the plant in Oxford open.  Dansko is expanding.  Nottingham Inn property bought by Herr’s, who is doing a 100% refurbishing of the building.

As we’re trying to draw businesses to our neck of the words the two areas we want to focus on are 372 and Route 1.  The train station and the 30 bypass together with the 372 industrial park make this area attractive.

Larry Lavenberg, Vice President of Atglen Borough Council, spoke about Atglen’s efforts to upgrade their water plant and the planned SEPTA feasibility Study.

Regional Planning Meeting Tonight At Borough Hall

Members of the Octorara Regional Planning Commission including then Representative Tom Houghton and former Parkesburg Borough Councilperson Tom Curtin explain Parkesburg's layout and possible building sites to a Main Line real estate developer during a 2009 tour of Parkesburg and surrounding areas.

An important meeting mentioned last night at Borough Council Meeting as announced in My Octorara News:

The Octorara Regional Planning Commission is set to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Parkesburg Borough Hall.
  
According to Octorara Area School Board President Lisa Bowman, the meeting has been scheduled by John O'Brien from State Rep. John Lawrence's office.  On the agenda will be discussion of any potential business development initiatives in Parkesburg and throughout the Octorara district.
  
News from this planning commission has recently been scarce as its work was being transferred from the office of former State Rep. Tom Houghton to Lawrence's staff in the 13th Legislative District.
  
The planning commission has been working to bring economic development to the school district in hopes of offsetting the high property taxes in the school district.
  
The organization was begun by Octorara Superintendent Tom Newcome, and members include district staff, and interested community and school board members.
 
Bowman said the group plans to discuss how to make ORPC information available to the community online.
  
Anyone interested in attending or placing an issue on the agenda should call Lawrence's office at 610-869-1602.

Longenecker Pharmacy Offers Flu Shots

Click to enlarge

Longenecker Pharmacy on First Avenue in Parkesburg is offering flu shots in the Pharmacy during three sessions in September and October for $29.

The dates as detailed on the above flier are:

• Monday, September 19th from 10 AM to 6 PM
• Saturday, October 1st from 9 AM to 12 PM
• Tuesday, October 12th from 10 AM to 6 PM

In addition to these three sessions pharmacy personnel will administer the flu shots any week day between 10 AM and 6 PM.  Individuals wishing to get a flu shot should call the pharmacy at 610.857.2114 to make an appointment.

The CDC recommends getting vaccinated in September.

September 19th Parkesburg Borough Council Meeting

Notes from 9.19.2001 Borough Council Meeting

Council President Mel Keen thanked everyone who worked hard this past month.  An earthquake, two tropical storms, the PennDOT planning meeting.  We did well.

• Tuesday evening is the Octorara Region Planning Commission meeting is Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM at Parkesburg Borough Hall.
• 2012 fiscal year - planning is moving ahead

Roll Call:  All present except for Councilperson Willard Marsh (excused) and Mayor John Hagan (death in his family)

Minutes  Review:  Minutes were reviewed and approved

Treasurer’s report was read by Borough Secretary Wendy Keegen

Approval of Bills:  The bills were reviewed by Council and approved. 

No visitors comments

Police Chief’s report:  Traffic arrest 87, 21 parking tickets.  Thanked Jim Thomas and the Streets Department for help during the tropical storms.  Minimal complaints and few criminal incidents.  The generator worked fine.  When we lost power we lost phone service because phone service is provided by Comcast Cable.  Cell phones worked but not in town.  Officers had to go out of town to get cell service.  We’re in a radio dead zone with regards to the Chester County emergency dispatch.  We’re working on that.

Officers are authorized to grow beards during hunting season.  The beards can stay on up to December 31st.   At that point hunting season will be over and the department will revert back to the policy of mustaches only.

New Business

Funding of Police pension plan – Individual police officers nor the Borough will be required  to make a contribution to the pension plan during the 2012 fiscal year.  Approved by Council.

A contract with Kandi Sheller to serve as constable – administrative regional judge directed district magistrates not to serve municipal warrants on code enforcement matters.  The thought was the police would serve the warrants.  Not acceptable.  At the beginning of this month a decision was made that local constables connected to the district court would serve the warrants.  Collection of fees and fines will be made through the district courts and passed along to the municipalities.  We need to come up with a contract with their constables to serve the warrants.  Kandi Sheller is this district court’s constable; Ray Sheller is the deputy constable.  Insurance is being worked out.  Asked council to approve the resolution so the wheels can keep turning.  The motion was made and seconded.  The motion passed.

Resignation of Richard Irwin, the Borough’s Emergency Management Coordinator.  New job gives him little time to do the job.  Mel Keen read his resignation letter.  His resignation was accepted.  The borough will look for candidates.  A job description will be published in the next couple of days.

Manager’s Report – Jim Thomas reported cooperation during the storms.  Good communication.

Also the Borough has an issue on with an apartment building at 441 W First Avenue, the building has been declared unfit for habitation.  Letters have been sent, numerous citations have been issued.  Borough will secure the property.  We would like to do it ASAP.  We’ve done it before and the costs are reasonable.  There is a process and procedure we must follow.  Jim Thomas will get prices to secure the building.

Public works report – In the packet

Fire Marshals Report – None

Solicitors report – Working on West Bridge Street.  Moving forward.  The rest of the solicitor’s material is in the packet.

Streets & Property – new look to the trash bills.

Finance – Finance Committee met on 8th of September.  Committee president Chuck Persch stated the committee needed more figures from the fire company consolidation committee.  Stated committee was considering  1) eliminating the per capita tax and 2) implementing a fire tax.  The fire tax would need to be in place by the end of the year. 

Fire and police – no representatives from fire or police at our meeting due to an emergency so not much work got done.

The meeting was adjourned.

Page 1 of Parkesburg Borough Council Meeting 9.19.2011 Agenda Page 2 of Parkesburg Borough Council Meeting 9.19.2011 Agenda

Parkesburg Borough Bills From September 19th Meeting

Borough Bills From 9.19.2011 Borough Council Meeting

Episcopal Church Holding Craft Fair & Silent Auction Next Saturday

The Episcopal Church of the Ascension on Second Avenue is holding their12th annual Craft Fair & Silent Auction from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Saturday, September 24th.

The event features a silent auction, food and bake sales, used books, plant sale and children's activities.

Space still available for craft booths. Call 610-857-9559.

Parkesburg Yesterday

The Hotel Parkesburg, now the Arms, pictured shortly before its opening in 1908.  The caption in the upper righthand corner reads "Spent several hours in this town to day with J. F. Bradenbaugh.  After dinner took the 1:30 train for Downingtown PA."

Great picture of the Arms Apartments on First Avenue posted to Facebook this week by Deb Zwicker Wilson.

Built in 1907 and opened in 1908 as the Parkesburg Hotel by B. F. Dorsheimer, the building featured a bar and a comfortable dining room and offered daily, weekly and monthly boarding options.

The creek pictured running to the left of the Arms and under First Avenue is the same creek that flooded last week covering the 400 block of First Avenue in 18 inches of water.

Wild Turkeys Invade P'burg

Mel Keen reports Maple Street continues to be a "happening" place. The group was out for a walk at 7:10 on Thursday morning.

Local Girl Scouts Develop "If You Give A Kid A Story" Program

Children at the Parkesburg Library enjoy a story activity planned and run by Girl Scouts Paige McKenna (far left) and Libby Sweet (far right).

This from this week's Community Courier:

Two Girl Scouts from Troop 41385 in the Octorara area recently presented the program "If You Give a Kid a Story" at the Parkesburg Library. Paige McKenna and Libby Sweet conducted the program, held Aug. 1 to 4 for children ages 4 to 6.

Each one-hour program was focused around one of the following Laura Numeroff books: “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” and “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake.”

Each evening started with the children coloring a themed coloring sheet. The coloring sheets were mailed to the nonprofit organization Color-a-Smile, which distributes childrens' drawings and colorings to shut-ins and the elderly. Other activities included games, songs and snacks based on the book of the night.

The two Girl Scouts came up with all of the ideas, did the preparation and ran the programs in an effort to earn their Bronze Award, which is the highest award at the Junior Girl Scout level.

Rental of the Week

521 Main Street

Price: $1,200

Address:  521 MAIN ST

City Name: PARKESBURG

State:  PENNSYLVANIA

Zip: 19365

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 1

Partial Baths: 1

Square Ft.: 1622

Acres: 0.14

Township: Parkesburg Borough

Realtor Description:

 

This freshly painted home was renovated from top to bottom in 2008. New kitchen and new appliances including a dishwasher, NEW main bath on 2nd floor and an added powder room on the 1st floor, NEW front and side door, and NEW windows. 

 

Most of the plumbing was replaced, entire house was rewired with a 200 amp panel, and the brick work around the whole house was re pointed. 

 

The hardwood floors are in great shape on the 1st floor and the 2nd and 3rd floor are carpeted. 3 bedrooms on the 2nd floor and one on the 3rd that could also be used as an office or playroom. The back bedroom on the 2nd floor has a private walkout balcony which is the perfect place to relax during the spring and summer months! 

 

Washer/dryer in basement & included! There is also a 2 car detached garage and a driveway for off street parking. 

Click here for all the details.

Free Employment Workshops Scheduled For Coatesville, Exton

Free 12 Steps Toward Employment^TM workshops have been scheduled in September for Exton and Coatesville to aid Chester County’s unemployed and underemployed, including recent college students, in seeking, obtaining and retaining suitable employment.

The seminars will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, September 23, at the Exton Square Mall in Exton, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, September 30, at PA CareerLink-Chester County in Coatesville.

The ongoing series of workshops are part of the Road to Employment initiative established by the Chester County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to focus on many often-missed steps in undertaking a successful job search, from the time one learns or decides he or she will be seeking employment through the first few months of a new job, a time when persons often become unemployed again for a variety of reasons.

        

Required registration information for limited available seats at individual workshops, along with additional job-seeking tools, may be obtained at  www.chesco.org/JobSeekerToolkit.

       

Additional information on this initiative is available from Casey Jones, workshop presenter, at bps461@msn.com or (610) 707-1494.