Connect Edgmont Hike: New Delco Park at Don Guanella

Saturday August 26th at 7:00AM

Explore Delaware County’s newest and largest park!

Time and Place:

Date: Saturday, August 26th at 7:00AM
Parking: 600 Reed Rd, Broomall, PA 19008 (Google Map Link)
Parking Note: A new parking lot for the park is under construction on the south side of Reed Road, but it is not yet open. Please park across the street at the office building next to Home Depot. We’ll gather in the parking lot and walk across the street into the park together.
RSVP via Connect Edgmont’s Facebook Event and/or Newtown Greenways’ Meetup Event.

The Hike

Join Connect Edgmont, the Friends of Marple Newtown Trails, and the Newtown Township Trails & Greenways group for a challenging 2 1/2 mile hike at the former Don Guanella School site. Several guides will explain the history and future plans for this new 213-acre County-owned park.

Our walking route will include steep, slippery slopes, several shallow water crossings, long grasses, briars, and branches. Long pants and hiking boots are recommended.

About the Don Guanella Property

“In 2021, Delaware County Council acquired the 213-acre site of the former Don Guanella School. Located in Marple Township, this property was the largest vulnerable open space in the densely developed county. Largely woodlands with some outdoor recreation facilities, the site will become Delaware County’s largest county park. This acquisition was met with great joy by residents who had worked diligently over decades to conserve this site and protect it from development. Plans are underway for the site’s conservation and responsible public use.”

Don Guanella School Acquisition: A Win for Delaware County

“In 2021, Delaware County Council moved to acquire the property through eminent domain to protect the former Don Guanella School from development. It will become the largest park in the Delaware County county park system. The community has treasured the woods on this property for more than half a century. The site has been under tremendous pressure for development since the closing of the Don Guanella school. Multiple plans to develop the site for residential and retail, including one that would have clear cut the site, were proposed over several decades and rejected. The community galvanized to protect the woods. Volunteers have created almost 10 miles of trails throughout the woods where two streams meet.

Located in the densely developed center of Delaware County, the 213-acre property is the last tract of undisturbed old-growth forest in the area with approximately 170 acres of woodlands. As a cherished recreational amenity for the community, it also provides significant economic returns in environmental services. The old-growth forest preserved in central Delaware County offers large returns in recreational value, stormwater management savings, air and stream quality improvements, and wildlife habitat.”

(Source: The Economic Impact of Protected Open Space in Delaware County, Pennsylvania)