Home Care In Gwynedd, PA

UPPER GWYNEDD — A new neighborhood has been approved near an as-yet undeveloped intersection in Upper Gwynedd.

Township officials voted Tuesday night to approve plans for a ten-unit twin house community near the intersection of West Point Pike and Moyer Boulevard last week.

“We’ve been in front of your zoning hearing board, and the planning commission, for a ten-lot subdivision of twin homes. It’s a roughly two-and-a-half acre site, located in the LI zoning district,” said developer Ben Goldthorp of Pennington Property Group.

During the March 13 commissioners meeting, Goldthorp and engineer Thomas Borghetti showed the commissioners their plans for a series of five two-unit twin homes on the southeast side of Moyer Boulevard, just east of West Point Pike, on a site that’s zoned for limited industrial use. The plan features a private road that ends in a cul-de-sac with a private parking lot, additional street parking perpendicular to the private road, and driveways for each twin, with a stormwater feature between the private road and Moyer and added landscaping to the rear of the development. Each home would be roughly 2,000 square feet and two stories plus a basement, the developer told the board, and each would have a garage plus two parking spaces in the driveway.

Last September the developer secured approval from the zoning board to build residential on the site, and in January went before the township planning commission, which recommended approval based on several conditions and waiver requests the developer outlined for the commissioners.

“We’ve received a recommendation for preliminary /final approval from your planning commission, and come before you tonight to talk about any specific questions you have,” Goldthorp said, ahead of a final approval vote slated for March 21.

Commissioners President Denise Hull asked for an overview of the waivers requested, and Goldthorp did so, summarizing the six waiver requests spelled out in detail in a series of review letters between the township’s consultants and the developer. Among those waiver requests include a request to allow grading within five feet of the property lines and rights-of-way of streets, which Goldthorp said was necessary because of the dimensions of the site.

“In this case, essentially we’re grading up to our property line on all of the different sides: along West Point Pike, next to Merck, and then behind us with the rail line,” he said.

Drainage from roughly 95 percent of the site would go to the basin, Goldthorp told the commissioners, and the developer has worked with Merck which owns an adjacent parcel about placing a fence along that boundary. On the west side, a trail and fence would buffer the site from the rail line, and another waiver request would allow the project to use evergreen trees instead of street trees specified by code. Other waivers would grant a reduction in the roadway width from a required 30 feet down to 26, which the developer said they felt was “more appropriate” due to a lack of on-street parking, and the last waiver would allow the perpendicular parking rather than parallel spaces on the private road.

Township Manager Sandra Brookley Zadell added that staff “pushed them further” to include a walking trail, since it’ll connect parts of the larger township trail network.

Hull added that the plans have been vetted by the township’s fire marshal as part of the approval process, and a motion for full land development approval was slated for March 21. During the March 21 meeting, solicitor Lauren Gallagher reported that the only change since the prior meeting was an update to a tree removal fee to be paid by the applicant, now finalized at just over $22,000: “Other than that, everything is ready for the board’s consideration.” One public comment was made before the final vote, by Merck spokesman Greg Landis, who said that company “fully supports” the development, and asked for a construction fence along the northern boundary of the site to protect a stormwater basin on their property. The commissioners then voted unanimously to approve the plans.

Upper Gwynedd’s commissioners next meet at 7 p.m. on April 10 at the township municipal building, 1 Parkside Place; for more information visit www.UpperGwynedd.org.

Fireworks shows, parades, festivals are planned around the area, though inclement weather could get in the way.

AMBLER, PA — The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and there are numerous fireworks events around across Montgomery County.

There are numerous Independence Day fireworks shows, parades, festivals, and more around the region celebrating summer's biggest holiday. However, given the potential for severe weather on the way, be sure to check with your local municaplity for updates on delays or cancellations.

RELATED: As Fires Spread, Norristown Authorities Point To Illegal Fireworks

Here's what's in store this July 4 around Montgomery County:

Norristown

Find out what's happening in Lower Gwynedd-Ambler-Whitpainwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Norristown has parade startsing at 10 a.m., music and other fun starting at 3 p.m., and fireworks at 10 p.m.

The 45 minute parade route will travel from St. Francis Church to Dekalb and Main streets.

Lower Providence

The 27th All-American Fireworks Celebration will start at 7 p.m. on July 4 at Eagleville Park, located on 100 Parklane Drive.

Conshohocken

Conshohocken celebrates the big day on Monday, July 3, with fireworks scheduled to go off at Sutcliffe Park at 9:30 p.m.

Sutcliffe Park itself will be closed during the fireworks for safety reasons.

"The fireworks display will be larger so that fireworks may be visible from as many vantage points as possible throughout the Borough," organizers said. "Due to the larger size of fireworks, a wider safety perimeter surrounding the discharge zone is required."

Officials said they ran tests to ensure fireworks could be safely and clearly viewed from around the rest of the borough.

Ambler

Ambler's annual Kiwanis Carnival and Fireworks will run from July 4 through July 7, with fireworks held on Friday, July 7 at 9 p.m. at Wissahickon High School.

The five-night event will feature numerous community events, games, music, food, and more, all in support of local youth programs.

Wristbands for the five-night event are $30 and are available online here.

A raindate for fireworks is set for July 8.

Skippack

Skippack's 4th of July parade will be held on Independence Day at 11 a.m. from the middle of downtown. Afterwards, there will be a BBQ party at Parc Bistro, with food and drink vendors set up throughout the area.

Fireworks will be held at Palmer Park near Skippack Elementary School at about 10 p.m.

Glenside

The Greater Glenside Patriotic Association organizes some of the largest and longest running 4th of July celebrations in Montgomery County, with the parade ongoing since 1904.

At 10 a.m., a Children's Morning Program will be held at Renninger Memorial Park

At 4 p.m., the 1.5 mile parade will begin. A full route is available online here.

Fireworks are scheduled "after dark" at Abington Junio and Senior High Schools.

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SPRINGFIELD >> “We’re not done yet.”

That was Gwynedd Mercy Academy’s mindset throughout their District 1-2A quarterfinal game against Springfield Montco Tuesday afternoon.

The Monarchs weren’t done when they trailed by two goals in the middle of the second half and they weren’t done when they took a one-goal lead with 45.7 seconds left. They certainly weren’t done when Springfield had the ball in the offensive end in the final 15 seconds.

After Audrey Beck gave the eighth-seeded Monarchs a lead in the final minute, they made a defensive stand at the other end to close out an 11-10 win over the top-seeded Spartans at Springfield Township High School.

“We don’t stop,” Beck said of the defense at the end. “We don’t get tired. Our defense is unmatched, it’s incredible. I think that they are one of the biggest reasons why we are where we are.”

“We’re more of a second-half team,” GMA’s Ellie Verrill said. “We always come out strong and we just really made sure to focus on the little things and piece-by-piece put it all together and communicate. We knew if we could hold them for those 13 more seconds we could get it done.”

Keira Cassidy forced a turnover with a little over a minute to go to get Gwynedd Mercy (14-6) possession with the score tied, 10-10. Beck earned a free position opportunity and converted to put the Monarchs ahead late in the game.

“I just knew we had to get it done,” Beck, who credited her teammates, said of the game-winner. “It just had to be done in order for our team to be able to make it to the next step.”

Springfield generated a few scoring opportunities after winning the draw, but couldn’t find the back of the net. GMA goalie Jenny Keagy made six saves in the second half and came up big in the final minutes.

“(GMA) did a really good job crashing on our shooters and their goalie came up very big in the second half with some really good saves at point-blank,” Springfield coach Casey Murray said. “I think we had some good looks, but they just did a really good job getting on our hands and we didn’t get much behind the shots.”

The Spartans led, 7-6, at halftime and scored the first goal of the second half to take an 8-6 advantage. The two-goal difference was the largest lead for either team in the tightly-contested game.

Verrill answered the two-goal deficit with three straight goals in 42 seconds. The third goal of that sequence gave the Monarchs their first lead of the game with 16:26 remaining.

“I just knew we had to get a lead on them,” Verrill said. “So many great assists coming in to get those goals. After my yellow card I knew I had to turn it up and change the momentum of the game.”

“I think every time Ellie makes a great play it builds up the entire team,” Beck added. “Not just the offense, but the midfield and defense.”

The opponents alternated the next three goals. Springfield’s Fiona Rizzo tied it 9-9, GMA’s Madeline McFadden made it 10-9 and Springfield’s Emma Yoder evened the score, 10-10, with 4:21 to play.

Verrill led the Monarchs with four goals while Cassidy and Malley Connor each added two.

Rizzo netted a game-high five goals for the Spartans and Yoder added two.

The win secures Gwynedd Mercy Academy a spot in the PIAA-2A state playoffs and sends the Monarchs to the District 1-2A semifinals. They’ll face No. 5 Bishop Shanahan, a 10-7 winner over No. 4 Strath Haven, Thursday.

“We knew we were underestimated and I think that was our main goal – to prove them wrong, prove everyone wrong,” Beck said. “Here we are going to states and on our third round of districts.”

Springfield’s season ends with the loss. The Spartans went 18-2 overall this year and won a share of the Suburban One League American Conference.

“Our goal was to win the league this year and we did that with a 17-1 record,” Murray said, “which was the first time in like 12 years for the school to be able to do that. That was a huge win for us. This was bonus lacrosse a little bit. We love districts and states, but we really tried to focus on the regular season… We would’ve loved to have gotten to the states if we could’ve, but I still think it’s a successful year. Hurts right now, but still a pretty good year.”

Gwynedd Mercy Academy 11, Springfield Montco 10

Gwynedd Mercy Academy 6 5 – 11

Springfield Montco 7 3 – 10

Goals: GMA: Keira Cassidy 2, Ellie Verrill 4, Malley Connor 2, Colleen Mullin, Madeline McFadden, Audrey Beck. S: Emma Yoder 2, Fiona Rizzo 5, Maddie McDevitt, Stella Nelson, Shannon Silvius.

Gov. Shapiro’s commonsense budget will help fill critical worker shortages and support healthier families and communities .

Gwynedd Valley, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro met with student nurses at Gwynedd Mercy University in Montgomery County, where he heard from them about the challenges they face and discussed his commonsense budget proposals that invest in public health and take steps to recruit more nurses, police officers, and teachers to fill critical frontline jobs.

“Nurses save lives every single day across our Commonwealth, but we’re facing a real crisis right now – a critical shortage of nurses in our hospitals and clinics,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “When we don’t have enough nurses to cover our communities, that puts an even greater burden on the nurses who are on the front lines every day keeping our families and our communities healthy. We need more nurses to join their ranks and ease that burden – so my budget is going to make it a little easier to become a nurse in Pennsylvania.”

“This bold initiative recognizes the very real need to attract and retain more highly qualified nursing professionals in PA,” said Gwynedd Mercy University President Deanne D’Emilio. “We are grateful for the Governor’s commitment to strengthening the workforce in the Commonwealth and we are delighted to be part of the solution to this pressing need.”

In 2021, more than 1 in 4 nursing positions in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania were unfilled. Over the last 3 years, vacancy rates for registered nurses and nurse practitioners have increased by 10 percent.

To address workforce shortages, Governor Shapiro’s budget invests $24.7 million in job retention and recruitment efforts to specifically attract more nurses, police officers, and teachers, proposing a refundable tax credit for new workers in those fields and putting up to $2,500 back in their pocket every year for up to three years.

The Shapiro Administration is fighting for healthier families and communities all across Pennsylvania, and Governor Shapiro’s budget also:

Learn more about Governor Shapiro’s comprehensive approach to building a healthier Pennsylvania here: http://shapirobudget.pa.gov.

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LOWER GWYNEDD — More than 100 gathered Thursday to witness the groundbreaking for a new Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary on the grounds of Gwynedd Mercy University, marking the start of a $54.5 million project for the Wynnewood-based religious institution.

Archbishop Nelson Perez, head of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, presided over the order of the blessings at the site for the new building expected to be completed in August 2024.

Founded in 1832, the seminary educates 131 students at its current campus at 100 E. Wynnewood Road.

“Every stage of our lives involves leaving something behind to embrace something that’s new,” Perez said.

Representatives from Saint Charles and Gwynedd Mercy reached an agreement in April 2021. The sale includes procurement of two buildings and a 15-acre plot of land on Gwynedd Mercy University’s campus.

“To me it’s synergistic,” Perez said. “It’s (my) great hope and the connections that will be made here between Saint Charles, a place of higher learning, and Gwynedd Mercy University, a place of higher learning, is just utterly exciting.”

The land development plan was formally approved by the Lower Gwynedd Township Board of Supervisors in September, according to a spokesperson for the seminary. The first phase of the property sale between the seminary and university took place on Nov. 16.

“Today’s a great day of joy and hope for the church of Philadelphia, and for the Gwynedd Mercy University as we break ground for the new site of Saint Charles Seminary that has been forming the hearts of men for the priesthood for 190 years, and we come now to the next chapter as we break ground here, consecrate this ground and bless it,” Perez said.

Seminary Rector Rev. Keith Chylinski spotlighted a cross constructed by seminarians. It was made of white poplar wood found from an old church pew. “Today is a historic day,” Chylinski said.

Perez then blessed the dirt, cross and attendees of Thursday’s event before the official groundbreaking took place.

Along with seminarians and archdiocese representatives, other educators and local legislators in Montgomery County were present for the roughly hour-long ceremony. Clergy members thanked Lower Gwynedd Township officials for their efforts.

“The relocation of the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary to the campus of Gwynedd Mercy University in Lower Gwynedd Township is a win-win-win situation,” Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale said. “Both institutions and the local community will benefit spiritually and intellectually from this collaboration.”

Perez expressed high hopes for the venture.

“My hope for the future here is that both the seminarians and the students will continue to make the world a better place by the vocations that they’re both responding to deep within their hearts,” Perez said.