Open Questions About Open Space In New Hanover

Photo by Evan Brandt

The scouts of Den 73 were lucky. They received their commendations for building a free library box and the collection of 400 books early on in last night's three-hour meeting.

When you only have one meeting a month, it can go long. Last night, the New Hanover Supervisors meeting went on for almost exactly three hours.

But it didn't take all that long for a little news to leak out.

It seems that the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board's feasibility study calling for a multi-use sports complex -- that would generate $100 million in economic impact in the first five years -- was interested in property in New Hanover.

The Wassamer tract, located behind the township building on Route 663 and purchased with public open space money to prevent a housing development, might a location to consider, according to the tourism board.

They were perhaps drawn to the location by the two-year-old master recreation plan which shows something like that.

So they called the township and a few officials went down to talk to them.

But that didn't sit well with Supervisor Charles D. Garner Jr., who wanted to know why the meeting happened, what was discussed, and why something like that would even be considered in New Hanover Township.

He also pointed out that given that the tract was purchased with tax money raised specifically for the preservation of open space, turning it into a mega-sports complex might not even be legal, much less advisable.

Commissioners Chairman Phil Agliano and Commissioner Andrew Kelly said it was just a conversation, no commitments had been made and Agliano apologized for not informing the board ahead of time.

In other news, the supervisors agreed to guarantee a $2 million loan for the sewer authority to replace the west branch sewer interceptor, adopted a hiring policy and fired an employee and suspended another.

You'll find it all in the Tweets below.