Stormwater Improvement Projects Were Recently Completed At Alvathorpe Park In Abington

ABINGTON, PA — Township officials are praising a series of rainwater projects recently completed at Alverthorpe Park, part of an overall effort to improve stormwater quality at the community space.

The projects included the installation of three rain gardens and a bioswale at the park, which is located at Jenkintown Road and Forrest Avenue, and is home to amenities such as sports fields, fishing opportunities, miniature golf and more.

Funding for the project came through the Delaware River Restoration Fund of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative established by the William Penn Foundation, according to the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, an advocacy organization based in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties.

The project was awarded more than $650,000 in total funding to be used toward stormwater improvements at Alvathorpe Park, according to Susan Harris, principal with Cerulean, which is an environmental consulting and project management services group in Greater Philadelphia.

The stormwater projects at the park are designed to clean and filter the water that comes from the parking lot and other impervious areas, Harris says in a video about the project, which is available online.

The goal of the various projects at the park are designed to help with both stormwater runoff and velocity, according to Harris.

"So we're looking to slow it down, allow the pollutants to settle out, and then have a slow release back to the Jenkintown Creek," Harris says on the video.

Design and engineering students from Temple University also helped work on the some of the park projects, according to Harris.

Harris said work on this project "holistically throughout the watershed" has been taking place since 2014. She said they've also worked in conjunction with a number of large landowners in Abington Township.

Harris also gave credit to the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, saying the advocacy group really "sees these projects through," from writing grants to finishing projects and closing them out.

Harris said that Abington Township is able to take credit for the project through its Pollutant Reduction Plan, which is a state requirement for many southeastern Pennsylvania communities to help improve stormwater quality.

To learn more about the stormwater projects at Alvathorpe Park check out this video.