Delco Woods
THE NEW PARK: A QUICK OVERVIEW
Delco Woods, Delaware County’s newest County Park, is located on the former Don Guanella School site, adjacent to Cardinal O’Hara High School in Marple Township. Covering 213 acres, the site is home to the county’s largest undeveloped forest, featuring wetlands, meadows, and creeks, which provides habitat to many wildlife and bird species.
Hiking trails through the woods are open to the public during daylight hours. For improved access, the County created a new parking area near the trailhead on Reed Rd. The lot can hold approximately 40 cars and is located between Sproul Road and South Parkway Boulevard, across the street from the apartments next to Home Depot.
A new bed of native plantings next to the parking lot and in front of the Trailhead is one of many projects in the ongoing improvement process.
STREAMBANK STABILIZATION
Staff from the Parks & Recreation Department and the Conservation District lining the streambank of Whetstone Run with spent evergreens.
Anchoring spent trees along streambanks is a low-cost, effective method to reduce water velocity and erosion. Cut trees used for Delaware County’s Festival of Lights have been “recycled” for this Delco Woods project. This method has been successful in Glen Providence Park and is being replicated in other watershed areas.
LOOKING AHEAD
Preservation of the undeveloped natural lands (nearly 175 acres) remains the signature priority of the County, while plans for exciting community-inspired recreational facilities and features continue to take shape as the Master Plan for the new park nears completion.
The County — with significant input from the community — is working with the award-winning team of Toole Recreation Planning and experts from a variety of disciplines, to craft a plan that will serve the needs of the community and respect our need for undeveloped open green space. Details about the plan are available on the New Park Master Plan website.
