Cheltenham’s got a plan for 2040 | Inquirer Greater Abington
Plus, Cheltenham elementary school families now say they, too, have flagged safety issues to the district.
Hi, Greater Abington. 👋
I hope you’ve been surviving the summer heat. This week, we dive into Cheltenham Township’s new comprehensive plan, which lays out a vision for what it could look like by 2040. We also continue to follow the ongoing turmoil in the Cheltenham School District, where elementary school parents now say they’ve flagged concerns about alleged sexual and physical incidents since October.
Plus, a new Yemeni- and Saudi-inspired concept (with a drive-through!) opens in Willow Grove, and other news.
— Laura Smythe (greaterabington@inquirer.com)
P.S. Our journalists want to solve the local mysteries that keep you up at night. Submit any questions you might have about the region to Curious Greater Abington, and we’ll see if we can dig up some answers in a future story.
Inquirer Greater Abington
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
Cheltenham Township’s new comprehensive plan lays out challenges and recommendations for homes, businesses, transportation, community services, and historical assets over the next 10 to 15 years.
Among the dilemmas facing the township is navigating the need for more tax revenue while avoiding too big a boom of new residents. That’s because many of the large estates in Cheltenham belong to non-property-tax-paying institutions.
The Cheltenham School District remains embroiled in controversy as families in the township allege safety issues aren’t confined to the high school. Here’s the latest:
Superintendent Brian Scriven resigned last week after two violent assaults in the high school locker room led to charges against four football coaches and six players. But Cheltenham High School football families repeatedly warned against the former head coach’s hiring because of allegations that he allowed bullying to fester in his prior coaching position at Abington Senior High School.
Cheltenham Elementary parents now say they’ve been raising concerns to administrators since last October over multiple alleged physical or sexual incidents affecting students. The district has not commented on the status of any other administrators. Its school board meets tonight.
💡 Community news
Lynnewood Hall, the 110-room estate in Elkins Park thought to be the second-largest surviving Gilded Age mansion in the country, will soon welcome the public for the first time in 80 years for a floral exhibition inspired by HBO’s The Gilded Age, NBC10 reports.
Paving will close a lane overnight on Church Road between Township Line Road and Route 73 in Cheltenham Township from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., through Friday. During the same timeframe, a lane will also close for milling on Ashbourne Road between Washington Lane and Route 73.
Elkins Park resident John Matthews sets out today on a five-day, 425-plus-mile fundraising bike ride to benefit Ride Hard Breathe Easy, a nonprofit he founded after losing his mother, Kathleen, to lung cancer, Glenside Local reports.
A mid-century abode designed by Carlos Joseph Alvaré, a protégé of esteemed 20th-century architect Louis Kahn, recently sold for more than $1 million in Rydal. It features 10-foot glass walls, exposed Douglas fir beams, and a Japanese-inspired garden complete with a koi pond, according to Dwell.
🏫 Schools briefing
In the wake of the fallout from the Cheltenham locker room assaults, Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski unpacks the incidents through the lens that they are yet another example of failed adult leadership in youth and high school sports.
University of Pennsylvania education professor Jonathan Zimmerman shares a perspective on the prevalence of hazing at institutions across the U.S. over the years.
Valencia Peterson, who has more than a decade of experience working in violence prevention through youth sports, pens an op-ed about how the Cheltenham incidents should prompt schools and athletic organizations nationwide to ask, “Could this happen here?”
🍽️ On our plate
Mazaj, a Yemeni- and Saudi-inspired cafe slinging coffee, pastries, and za’atar-topped flatbreads and pizzas, recently opened in Willow Grove. It plans to debut a drive-through later this month.
🎳 Things to do
📚 Silent Book Club: At this dream event for introverts seeking new pals, get comfy with a good book and read alongside your neighbors. ⏰ Friday, Aug. 14, 4-6 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Jenkintown Library
🎞️ Movie Under the Moon: Take a trip back to good ‘ol 1993 with an outdoor viewing of The Sandlot projected on the big screen. ⏰ Friday, Aug. 14; movie starts at dusk 💵 Free 📍 Conway Field, Abington
🎲 Game Night: Show off your skills or learn to play a variety of board and card games. ⏰ Monday, Aug. 17 at 6:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Elkins Park Free Library
🏡 On the market
Tucked away on a tree-lined street in Cheltenham, this stone-and-brick house comes complete with a fireplace, partially finished basement, and details such as exposed beams and a bay window. It has five bedrooms and four bathrooms, including a private first-floor suite with a full bathroom and separate entrance.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $549,000 | Size: 3,667 SF | Acreage: 0.25
🗞️ What other Greater Abington residents are reading this week:
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
