Aston, U. Chichester, and L. Chichester Multi ... - E-Library

New Communities ProgramHome Town Streets/Safe Routes to SchoolTechnical Assistance:Township EngineersDCPDPennDOTCivic Activity CentersObjective 9-4:To develop a multi-purpose municipal/civic activity center in LowerChichester Township and to further enhance existing civic activitycenters in Upper Chichester and Aston Townships.Frequently, the civic life of a community takes place in a small municipal building that isthe site of official meetings and a few other events. However, municipalities can providea wide variety of facilities and events in order to enhance livability and enrich the lives ofresidents. To that end, some communities provide multi-purpose centers/complexes withfacilities to support civic, educational, recreational, cultural, and entertainment-centeredactivities, programs, and events. The case for developing full-service Civic ActivityCenters is regarded as sufficiently compelling to merit its own future land use category,as noted above in this chapter.AstonAston’s principal municipal facilities exist at two separate locations. The Pennell Roadproperty consists of a renovated municipal building housing administrative and municipaloffices, the police department, Township paramedics, and a public meeting room as wellas the adjacent public works department garage, storage shed, and salt storage building.The Concord Road property, which opened in the fall of 1997, contains the Astoncommunity center and library; it also houses the Township’s files. Additionally, there areoutdoor sports and recreational fields and a tot lot for kids. Combined, these facilities canaccommodate a wide variety of civic, educational, and cultural events.Future plans for the municipal building site include the relocation of the public worksgarage and storage sheds, and the construction of a new municipal building set backfarther from Pennell Road. The police department would operate out of an expandedfacility located either in the new municipal building or on the community center site. Thecommunity center site is surrounded by open space that is owned by the Penn-DelcoSchool District. The Township hopes to maintain this area as open space or a parks andrecreation facility.Upper ChichesterUpper Chichester Township’s government operations are located at the Townshipmunicipal complex on Furey Road. The complex comprises the municipal administrationand community center building, the highway and sanitation department office building9-21