Excellent news for residents of Wilmington's southwest suburbs

Proposed condo development on the site of the old Pike Creek Golf Course, which surrounds several existing townhouse, condo, and apartment communities between Limestone and Polly Drummond roads, has been largely blocked by New Castle County courts this week.  The ruling allows for 28 acres to be developed as the current ownership sees fit (and not operated as a golf course, as some had hoped), but that still leaves 177 acres of designated open space.  An appeal to Delaware's Supreme Court is expected, but for now, most of the old golf course will remain open. 

Here's hoping the county manages to buy the land - Carousel Park West, perhaps?

 Full story from the News Journal here.

Like to bike on the trails of White Clay Creek State Park?

Then this is your chance to have a say in the matter of new bike trails for the park.  The parks department has created a plan for new White Clay Creek bike trails, and they're looking for input from the public.  On August 10th the input will be reviewed, and the plan will either be finalized or revised.  The Bike Delaware blog has the full explanation on how to submit comments: http://bikedel.blogspot.com/2011/08/white-clay-creek-trail-plan-comments.html

There are a limited amount of free tickets to Fort Delaware this weekend.

The deal is that it's Price Toyota weekend, and as such, there will be cars on display around the mainland offices of Fort Delaware.   But the car dealership will also be giving away 100 free tickets to the Fort, per day (limited to 2 per group or family).   I don't know how this is going to work, but I thought it might be worth mentioning. 

Fort Delaware is, of course, one of Delaware's state parks, and an old Civil War prison, located in Delaware City just south of New Castle.

On Sunday: double-header vintage baseball game at Fort Delaware

I included this because it's summer, it's baseball, it sounds like fun.  But I don't have many specifics for you because Fort Delaware's own website gives very few details.  What I can tell is that admission is $5, the game is happening in conjunction with the Kids Fest being held that day, and it's happening sometime during park hours of 11-4:30 pm.  It's a double-header, so maybe they're counting on it taking up the whole day.

Here's the PDF with more info (but, honestly, not much more info): http://www.destateparks.com/downloads/programs/fdsp.2011.pdf

Brandywine Festival of the Arts is accepting submissions for 2011.

They have a brand new website, linked below.  The festival, which will be in its 51st year, will run on the weekend of September 10th & 11th in Brandywine Park.  The old Brandywine Arts Fest ran into some trouble under new management a couple of years ago and took a hiatus, but is back with a slightly different name, new ownership, and a new commitment into growing the affair into a festival for more than just the visual arts. 

http://www.brandywinearts.com/

Saturday: "Mushroom Walk", the 3rd in the "Wild Foraging" walk series at Bucktoe Creek Preserve.

Info copied from their website because there are a lot of details that I could misreport if I try to give my own synopsis:

"Registration: 

Register by calling TLCforSCC at 610-347-0347 or by emailing Louise Scanes at education@tlcforscc.org

Cost: 

$15 TLC members/$20 non-members or $75 for all three walks and Wild Foods Dinner

Location: 

Bucktoe Creek Preserve

Description: 

The final walk is an Edible Mushroom walk being led by Glenn Boyd and Terri Layton of the New Jersey Mycological Society. Hunt for common and elusive fungi on a June afternoon. Learn what to look for prior to the mushroom emerging so you can find them easily in the future and how they can be used for food and medicine. After the walk we will review the mushrooms we found so you can take notes."

The Wild Foods Dinner will follow from 5-7pm.  Contact Bucktoe Creek if you're interested in this, because I can't tell from the blurb if this will be open to those who only show up for the final walk. 

AmeriCorps internships available at Fort Delaware.

From their social networking page:

"Great internship opportunity! Fort Delaware has TWO AmeriCorps summer positions available for historic interpretation. Position pays a stipend of ~ $460 every two weeks, plus a scholarship of $1,450. Service requirement is 450 hours. For info, please call Laura Lee at 302-256-6321. Please pass along to any history-minded young people you know in search of experience for school or resume!!"

For the bird-watchers: Sunday morning and Monday morning bird walks at Bucktoe Creek Preserve, in Kennett

Doing too much partying on the weekends?  Cleanse your soul with some nature and wildlife walks.  Bucktoe Creek Preserve is in nearby Kennett Square, PA, and offers bird walks on Sunday mornings and Monday mornings, through the fall. 

Sunday bird walks: Every Sunday from now until early October.  8am.  Free, no registration required.  Meet at 432 Sharp Road parking area at Bucktoe Creek Preserve.  The walks average 3 miles and are led by expert birders.  Coffee and tea is provided. 

Monday bird walks:  Every Monday from now until early January.  8am, free, same meeting spot, same details as above. 

From photos Bucktoe Creek has posted, participants range from late twenties and up (in other words, if you're worried about it being you amongst a sea of senior citizens, worry not).   Besides being good for the soul, these bird walks sound like something you could do with an older (but somewhat mobile) relative - maybe an aunt or a dad you haven't been spending enough time with.   Food for thought. 

For more info about Bucktoe Creek: http://www.bucktoecreekpreserve.org/

Tails & Trails Dog Walk at Lums Pond on Sunday.

This 1.5 mile "fun walk" benefits the Delaware SPCA.  Dogs allowed.  Registration starts at 11am, and the walk starts at noon, led by a parade of shelter dogs.  In tutus.  I made that last part up.

Visit: http://www.delspca.org/tailsandtrails

Cape Henlopen is hiring ocean lifeguards for the upcoming summer season.

Ocean lifeguards, especially at Cape Henlopen which is known for its undertows, are the cream of the crop amongst lifeguards.  Cape Henlopen lifeguards are responsible for multiple rescues every week, during the swimming season.  If you think you have what it takes, contact Bryan.John@state.de.us .

The age-old question of where to put a national park in Delaware has made some progress.

Delaware is the only state without a national park, and since 2003, senator Tom Carper has been trying to change that.  In 2008, the National Park Service ended a study of potential sites with the conclusion that a National Historical Park would be the most appropriate type of national park in Delaware, given our early settlements and our role in the birth of the nation.  Finally, in 2011, a bill has been introduced to DE legislature with a select few recommended sites. 

The good news is that this issue may finally be making progress, and Delaware could end up with our first National Park within the next few years.  It's not going to be the whole-blocks-of-New-Castle or whole-blocks-of-Lewes park that I would have liked to see, but the 'park' will be a series of small, individual sites throughout the state.  On first read I thought that only one of the proposed sites would be the park, but I've been informed that, if this goes through, all of the following sites will be part of a system of national historical sites in Delaware, making it similar to the "Freedom Trail" in Boston:

New Castle County-
      The Old Sheriff’s House
      Fort Christina National Historic Landmark
      Old Swedes Church National Historic Landmark
      Old New Castle Courthouse
Kent County-
      John Dickinson Plantation National Historic Landmark
      Dover Green
Sussex County-
      Ryves Holt House (Lewes)

It probably makes the most sense for Delaware to arrange it this way, rather than picking one location and making a big production out of it.  These are already established as historical sites in Delaware, so not much will need to be changed beyond some signage, and personnel.  Another plus is that these sites will probably never be in danger of being shuttered due to lack of ticket sales, since they will now be covered under the broad umbrella of the National Park Service. 

The bill hasn't passed yet, but kudos to Senator Carper for keeping this issue alive all these years.

Two events at White Clay this weekend: Wild Mushroom Hike, and Spring Weed Out

SUNDAY: A couple of weeks back I wrote about a guided Wild Mushroom Hike occurring in a Kennett Square wildlife preserve that sounded great but was $25.  Good thing I didn't pull the trigger on that one, because now White Clay Creek State Park is offering a guided wild mushroom  hike for FREE (though you do have to pay the nominal park entrance fee if you don't have an annual parks pass).  It's on Sunday, May 1st, starting at 1pm, and the guide will be mushroom enthusiast Glenn Cote.  Come prepared for an intermediate hike.  Currently, the park is saying "call the nature center for meeting location":  (302) 368-6560. 

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SATURDAY: The other event is a volunteer affair.  White Clay Creek needs help removing an invasive weed - the tall, prickly "garlic mustard" - from one segment of the park.  If you missed all of the area clean-ups and are looking for some volunteer clean-up action, this is for you.  The instructions on the park's Facebook page are:

"Saturday, April 30th, 9-11am.  Help us remove garlic mustard from Pleasant Hill Woods. Be sure to wear long pants and boots or sneakers, and bring a pair of work gloves, if you have them. Also, be sure to bring drinking water. Meet at the 9-Foot Road parking lot. "  

So where is that, you're wondering.  I'll try to explain:  9-Foot Road is a driveway leading into the park, and it's off of Thompson Station Rd., across from the W.L. Gore campus in western Newark.   You'll find Thompson Station Road off of Papermill Rd., at the intersection that has Happy Harry's, Tony's Pizza, the Gore campus, and that little house on the corner that always has guitars hanging from the rafters.    If my directions are unintelligible, try this map:

http://files.meetup.com/901803/wcc_middlerun_map_2.0.pdf

You're looking for the "P" for parking that is just to the right of the section marked "9 Foot Rd Area". 

Spinto Band to perform at Shad Fest, in Philly, on Saturday

Spinto Band, of course, is a notable Delaware band, which is why this gets its own post.  Shad Fest is a celebration of the Delaware River that takes place in the new-ish Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown (east Philly).  It's a cool little festival with plenty of foods, vendors, and local brews, in a nice big park on the edge of the city.  The best feature, though, is the always note-worthy music line-up.  This year brings exceptionally good acts:  Spinto Band, Black Landlord, West Philadelphia Orchestra (Balkan/Klezmer/new music fusion), and Springs (an XPN / Shaking Through artist). 

UPDATE:  I've just found out that Springs is actually a Dr. Dog side project.  The members are Scott McMicken and Eric Slick (co-lead-singer and drummer for Dr. Dog, respectively), Julie Slick (Eric's sister, I believe), and Mike Visser.
http://www.fishtownshadfest.org/

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Another out-of-state festival going on this weekend is The Launch Music Conference and Festival in Lancaster, to be held at various venues throughout the weekend.   The shows will be a mix of local bands and national acts such as Slimfit, Johnny Action Figure, and Kingsfoil (who will be featured at this year's XPoNential Music Fest). 
http://www.launchmusicconference.com/conference/register/index.htm

Worth repeating: cherry trees and theatre happy hours

There is still time to see the cherry trees in bloom in Brandywine Park, by the zoo.  But hurry, because they're fading fast.  If inclined to visit the zoo while you're there, they just debuted two baby pygmy goats.  You can buy anti-melting-from-the-cuteness spray at the gates.  $4 for adults.

ALSO: don't forget that the new Queen Theatre is now having a happy hours, 3-7pm and 10pm-close, Monday thru Friday.  Good way for city workers or dwellers to see the theatre and support it if, like me, you haven't found a reason on the  Queen's schedule yet to actually attend a concert. 

Side note:  My band mates would appreciate this.  I know someone who went to the Rusted Root show the other day.  Guess what?  No opening act.

Two outdoors events for those heading to the beach this weekend:

1) Kite festival in Lewes:

It's called the Great Delaware Kite Festival, it's competitive, and there is a category for adults (as well as kids).  Your kite can be home-made or store-bought.  Register at 9am on Friday at Cape Henlopen State Park.  Competitors get in free, Delaware cars pay $4.  No word on how having or not having a parks annual pass affects the fee.  (By the way, if you don't have a state parks annual pass and you go to the parks more than, say, twice a year, get one.  It pays for itself after something like 5 visits, and it's actually a great motivator to get out into the parks more often for some hiking, disc golf, or whatever your pleasure is.  You can pick one up at any state park office).

2) Bethany / Fenwick Island Beach Clean-up:
Meet on Saturday morning "at the main beach Bath House parking lot at the south end of Fenwick Island State Park (just north of the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce building)". 9am-noon.  Clean-up materials will be provided. Call 227-6991 if you  need more info, or visit:
http://www.visitsoutherndelaware.com/events/6th_Annual_Earth_Day_Beach_Clean-Up/1908/detail.htm

Wilmington Trail Club offers a kayak training class through late spring. Register by end of April.

From the WTC site:

"Each year the Wilmington Trail Club offers kayak training programs for those interested in exploring the sport. While we welcome you to join the trail club, it is not a requirement to participate in the training. Courses have been developed over a number of years to slowly and safely progress each student from novice to a confident and capable paddler.  Two separate programs are offered for those 12 and over; one for recreational / touring / flat-water kayaking and the other for whitewater kayaking.  You will find the training progression for both courses  fully detailed in this website."

Registration ends on the last day of April.  The classes will take place over several sessions in May and June.  To find out more or to register, visit:
http://www.wtckayak.com/blog/

In addition to participants, the WTC is looking for volunteers to help with the classes.

New 30 mile long greenway is being proposed for the Brandywine River

It's being called the Brandywine-Struble Greenway, and will span from the Delaware state line at Chadds Ford to an established "Mega-Greenway" 30 miles north in Pennyslvania.  The Brandywine Conservancy is the private organization that is proposing the idea.  Conveniently, most of the 30 miles of greenway wouldn't have to be built from scratch, since much of the Brandywine is already edged by informal paths.  This idea seeks to connect and refine the various pathways and to accomplish this before increasing development makes this logistically impossible. 

It makes sense to me.  My honey and I have walked a lot of the banks of the Brandywine, both in North Wilmington and near the Brandywine River Museum, and wouldn't mind if some of the particularly pot-holed, muddy parts of the path were smoothed out a little.  This greenway would also insure that, should some private land be sold to a proposed strip mall, the land can't be paved right up to the edge of the river. But if, for some reason, you're opposed to this idea and you live in southeastern PA, you can voice your opinion at the Chadds Ford Township Building tomorrow evening (4/14) at 7 p.m.

For more info on the proposed greenway:
http://www.brandywineconservancy.org/greenway/index.html

Cherry trees in bloom at the Josephine Gardens in Brandywine Park

If you haven't seen the cherry blossoms in Brandywine Park, on the stretch of grass between the zoo and the river, go this week.  The weather is ideal (not the case when this happens, most years), and you will not find a finer display of heirloom blooms north of D.C.  Most of the trees, originally a gift from Japan, are nearly 100 years old.   This is a little more poignant when you remember that Wilmington's sister city, Miyagi, was one of the cities devastated in the recent earthquake in Japan.  I can't find info on whether the cherry trees actually came from Miyagi, but it's a pretty good possibility.  There are placards under the trees that explain more.

When you've finished taking it all in, go for a walk on the trail that runs next to the park.  In daylight hours, it's perfectly safe, with plenty of other walkers and joggers always around. 

If you're looking for a quick picnic lunch to bring, try the take-out at these eateries in Trolley Square: Ciao Pizza (they have great subs as well as pizzas), Temptations (NY deli sandwiches priced from $7-$10.  A lot of the sandwiches include the words 'chopped liver', but there are plenty without if you don't happen to be a connoisseur of the liver), or Diablo Burritos. 
A personal favorite of mine on Lovering Avenue, down the street from Gallucio's, is the Fresh Thymes Cafe.  A small mostly-lunch joint owned and operated by a mother and daughter team, Fresh Thymes is always good for a gourmet take-out sandwich, as well, with plenty of choices for vegetarians and vegans.   So bring some food and your honey to the side of the Brandywine River, lie back and stare up at multitudes of fluffy, pom-pom-like cherry blossoms like Wilmingtonians have been doing for many decades, say hi to the llamas (or possibly alpacas) at the edge of the Brandywine Zoo, and enjoy the sunshine while it's here.

More info on Brandywine Park: http://www.destateparks.com/park/wilmington/brandywine-park/index.asp