PLAYGROUND CARNIVAL EXTRAVAGANZA

Join the fun as campers in Cheltenham Township’s Summer Playground Program present their own Playground Carnival on Tuesday, July 22. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to

8:30 p.m. at Wall Park, located on Church Road near Wall Park Drive in Elkins Park.

Carnival highlights will include:

¨ a giant 40-foot slide

¨ the “Iron Man” obstacle course

¨ a 32-foot climbing mountain

¨ a dunking booth

¨ homemade games of skill and luck for wacky prizes.

In addition, hot dogs, hamburgers, sodas and treats will be available for a picnic supper in the park. Admission is free. The rain date is Wednesday, July 23. For more information, contact the Cheltenham Parks and Recreation Department at 215-887-6200, ext. 227.

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CHELTENHAM ANNUAL REPORT AND CALENDAR MAILED

The 2008-2009 Cheltenham Township Annual Report and Calendar has been mailed to the community.

The publication features a daily itinerary of municipal meetings and special events, holiday refuse and recycling schedules, leaf collection dates and more from July 2008 through July 2009. The current operating budget and summaries of 2007 financial statements are also included. In addition, the publication lists guidelines for many municipal programs, including refuse, recycling, garden debris collection and other programs.

The annual report and calendar is one of the publications provided as a public service by the Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners. Additional copies are available at local libraries, community centers and the Township Administration Building, located at 8230 Old York Road in Elkins Park.

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JULY MEETINGS IN CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP

The Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners, along with its standing committees and citizen groups, meets regularly at standard times and locations. A list of the meetings taking place in July appears below. All meetings, unless otherwise indicated, are held in the boardroom of the Township Administration Building, located at 8230 Old York Road in Elkins Park.

Individuals with disabilities who require assistance to participate at any meeting should contact the township’s Public Information Office at least five workdays prior to the meeting date. For assistance or other information, call the Public Information Office at 215-887-1000, ext. 230.

TUESDAY, JULY 1

7:30 p.m. Public Affairs Committee

8:00 p.m. Public Safety Committee

8:30 p.m. Building and Zoning Committee

MONDAY, JULY 7

7:30 p.m. Wyncote Board of Historic and Architectural Review (BHAR)

8:15 p.m. LaMott BHAR

TUESDAY, JULY 8

7:30 p.m. Finance Committee

8:00 p.m. Public Works Committee

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

7:00 p.m. Economic Development Task Force

MONDAY, JULY 14

7:30 p.m. Zoning Hearing Board at Curtis Hall, Church Road and Greenwood Avenue, Wyncote.

TUESDAY, JULY 15

7:30 p.m. Board of Commissioners at Curtis Hall

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16

7:30 p.m. Fire Board

THURSDAY, JULY 17

7:00 p.m. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) at Azalea Hall, 8230 Old York Road, Elkins Park

MONDAY, JULY 21

7:30 p.m. Environmental Advisory Council

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

7:30 p.m. Library Board

7:30 p.m. Zoning Hearing Board at Curtis Hall

THURSDAY, JULY 24

7:30 p.m. Shade Tree Advisory Commission

MONDAY, JULY 28

7:30 p.m. Planning Commission

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INDEPENDENCE DAY SCHEDULE IN CHELTENHAM

The Cheltenham Township Administration Building, located at 8230 Old York Road in Elkins Park, will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

No special collections will be offered that day. Bagged garden debris collections in Routs 9-15 will be held on Saturday, July 5. The Public Works Facility, located at 8101 Old York Road in Elkins Park, and the Waverly Road Compost Facility in Laverock will be closed on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5. No material may be dropped off on those dates.

In addition, the township’s four libraries – East Cheltenham, Elkins Park, Glenside and LaMott – will be closed on July 4 but open July 5.

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WATER EXERCISES FOR CHELTENHAM ADULTS

Cheltenham Township adult pool members can stay cool while they get fit with low-impact water exercise classes at both municipal swimming pools.

Classes will be offered for eight weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. starting June 26 at Conklin Pool, located at Church and Yew Roads in Cheltenham. A free demonstration will be offered at the pool on Tuesday, June 24 at 6:00 p.m. Registrations will be taken at the pool office. The fee is $30.

The program is sponsored by the Cheltenham Township Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, contact Conklin Pool at 215-379-8727.

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CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP CONCERTS IN THE PARK

Cheltenham Township will once again offer free Concerts in the Park on five Sundays this summer. The concerts will be held at beautiful Curtis Arboretum, located at Church Road and Greenwood Avenue in Wyncote, beginning at 5:00 p.m. This year’s series features the following performers:

· June 29 Lou Lanza – Sinatra swing/jazz

· July 13 Dibbs Preston and the Detonators – Rockabilly, country and rock’n’roll

· July 27 Jim Murphy and The Pine Barons – Traditional country/bluegrass style

· August 10 Denis DiBlasio Jazz Quintet – Cool summer sounds

· August 24 Robin and Linda Williams & Their Fine Group – Folk music.

In case of rain, the concerts will be held inside Curtis Hall. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic suppers are welcome, but no alcohol is permitted. MossRehab/Einstein at Elkins Park is this year’s major sponsor, along with contributors Peco Energy and Comcast Cablevision. For more information, call the Cheltenham Township Parks and Recreation Department at 215-887-6200, ext. 227.

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CHELTENHAM IN BLOOM BEGINS JUNE 1

The Fifth Annual Cheltenham in Bloom, a Cheltenham Township Main Street contest designed to beautify the Elkins Park East and West Commercial Districts, begins June 1 and ends August 31. Inspired by the township’s twin town Cheltenham, England, the event invites businesses in the districts surrounding the Elkins Park Train Station and the Church and Old York Roads intersection to compete for prizes for the best hanging baskets, window boxes, ornamental plant containers or other floral arrangements. The Elkins Park Rotary serves as the judge and awards a prize in each district at the end of the year. For further information, contact Main Street Manager Ruth Littner Shaw at 215-887-6200 ext. 113.

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CHELTENHAM TENNIS PROGRAMS

Cheltenham Township will offer tennis instruction for youths (ages 7 to 15) and adults (age 16 and over) at both beginner and intermediate levels during day and evening sessions this summer.

Daytime youth sessions will run twice weekly from July 7 to 24 and from July 28 to August 14 at Griffin Field on Tookany Creek Parkway and Central Avenue in Cheltenham, Thomas Williams Park on Hewett and North Bent Roads in Wyncote, and Wall Park on Church Road and Wall Park Drive in Elkins Park. Youth and adult evening classes will be offered either Tuesdays or Thursdays from July 8 to August 14 at Wall Park. Fees are $35 for resident youths, $40 for resident adults, $52.50 for non-resident youths, and $60 for non-resident adults.

Registration for the tennis program is offered at the LaMott Community Center, Willow and Sycamore Avenues in LaMott, and the Rowland Community Center, Myrtle and Elm Avenues in Cheltenham, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. from June 2 to 30. For complete details about the tennis programs, call 215-635-3255.

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CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP THEATER CAMP

Children who love the stage, or who would love to try, can learn theatre games, acting exercises, improvisation and theatre crafts this summer at Theater Camp at the Rowland Community Center, located at Myrtle and Elm Avenues in Cheltenham. Camp will culminate in a final performance before friends and family on the last day.

Children ages 7 to 10 will meet August 11 to 15, while youngsters 11 to 13 will meet August 18 to 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Participants must bring their own lunches. The cost is $150 per student for Cheltenham Township residents and $160 for non-residents.

Registration will be available at the Rowland Community Center weekdays starting June 2 from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Evening registration is available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, call Susan Fries at 215-379-2233. The program is sponsored by the Cheltenham Township Parks and Recreation Department.

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Basketball Camp in Cheltenham Township

“Got Game Camp,” an unconventional yet effective basketball program, offers a competitive and fun atmosphere for players entering 5th to 8th grades at all skill levels. The camp will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 18 to Thursday, August 21 at Renninger Park Basketball Courts, behind Glenside Pool at Waverly Road and Keswick Avenue in Glenside. Participants must supply their own lunches. In the event of rain, camp may extend to Friday, August 22.

The fee is $115. The registration deadline is August 8, and camp is limited to 50 participants. Applications are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Rowland Community Center, located at Myrtle and Elm Avenues in Cheltenham, and the LaMott Community Center, located at Willow and Sycamore Avenues in LaMott. For more information, contact Korey Kalman at 610-517-5296. The program is sponsored by the Cheltenham Township Parks and Recreation Department.

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CHELTENHAM POOL REGISTRATION BEGINS

Stay cool this summer with memberships to Cheltenham Township’s two municipal pools, Conklin and Glenside. Only Cheltenham Township residents are eligible. The pools open June 14.

Registration begins Tuesday, May 6 and will run from 9:00 a.m. to noon and then from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday through June 12. Registration will be available every weekday at the same times beginning June 16. All registrations are held at the Township Building, located at 8230 Old York Road in Elkins Park, not at the pools.

Special evening registrations are available from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on June 9, 17 and 26. Saturday registrations are offered from 10:00 a.m. to noon on May 31 and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on June 14.

Seasonal memberships are $175 for families, $90 for adults, $70 for full-time students ages 23 and under, and $40 for seniors age 62 and up. Daily memberships are $4 for adults and $3 for youths, plus an initial $20 registration fee.

The Glenside Pool, located at Keswick Avenue and Waverly Road next to Renninger Field in Glenside, features a baby wading pool with a giant showering mushroom, sprinkling fire hydrant, small playground and small water slide. Conklin Pool, located at Church and Yew Roads in Cheltenham, offers a baby wading pool, sand volleyball court, two playgrounds with some new equipment and basketball courts. Both offer free Wi-Fi access during the pool season.

For more information, contact the Cheltenham Township Parks and Recreation Department at 215-887-6200, ext. 227.

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FREE MULCH SITES IN CHELTENHAM

Cheltenham Township invites residents to pick up free leaf mulch at four township locations throughout the summer:

· Curtis Arboretum lower level parking lot, located at Church Road and Greenwood Avenue in Wyncote.

· Kleinheinz Pond parking lot, off Tookany Creek Parkway in Cheltenham.

· Glenside Library parking lot, located at Keswick Avenue and Waverly Road in Glenside.

· Waverly Road Leaf Site, on Waverly Road in Laverock.

The locations are open weekends, except the Waverly Road Leaf Site, which is open only on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. unless affected by a holiday. Residents must bring their own shovels and containers to collect the mulch. The free mulch is generated from composted leaves from municipal leaf collection programs.

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SPRING AND SUMMER BAGGED GARDEN DEBRIS COLLECTION IN CHELTENHAM

To assist residents with their yard work, Cheltenham Township will collect leaves, garden debris, twigs and grass in biodegradable paper bags at the curb on most Fridays on alternating weeks throughout the spring and summer. Collections are delayed until Saturday in weeks with a holiday.

Collections will start in Routes 9 through 15, which are located primarily east of Old York Road, on March 14. Collection for Routes 1 through 8, which are on the west side of the township, start on Saturday, March 22. T

Bags may not contain large branches, stones, rocks or trash. Bags should be placed at the curb just prior to their scheduled collection date. Biodegradable paper bags are on sale at the Township Administration Building, libraries and community centers for 35 cents per bag or three for $1.

Residents may also drop off their biodegradable paper bags at the Waverly Road Compost Facility, located between Church Road and Cheltenham Avenue in Laverock. The facility is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., unless affected by a holiday. No drop-offs are permitted when the facility is closed.

For more information, call the Cheltenham Public Works Department at 215-887-6200, ext. 330.

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STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS UNDERWAY

Construction recently began on the Easton Road Streetscape and Traffic Calming Improvement Project, part of Cheltenham Township’s economic development initiative to create more attractive, pedestrian-friendly shopping districts. Like the earlier Wesley Plaza transformation, the project will introduce ornamental streetlights, hanging baskets, decorative sidewalk pavers, granite curbing, attractive crosswalks, benches and more on Easton Road between the train overpass and Springhouse Lane in Downtown Glenside.

Businesses will remain open during construction. To minimize disruption, work will be limited to one side of the street at a time. Construction should be completed in September 2008, and every effort will be made to accommodate the Independence Day parade, car show and Glenside Street Fair. Montgomery County and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation provided $1,740,000 in community revitalization and transportation grants to fund the enhancements.

The township secured on-site inspector Larry Franko from KCI Technologies, Inc., to monitor construction everyday and resolve any construction-related issues. Business and property owners can contact the inspector at 610-551-1457.

The streetscape enhancement project offers everyone an opportunity to support the community and insert a personal message into the fabric of the district through “Hit the Bricks,” which features three options:

· A three-line message engraved in a sidewalk brick paver costs $100

· A two-line message on a bench plaque costs $500

· A two-line message on a street-tree plaque costs $700.

For details and an order form, contact the Main Street Manager at 215-887-6200, ext. 113.

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VINTAGE CAMERA AND PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT

Through spring 2008, the Richard Wall House Museum in Elkins Park will feature a special exhibit on vintage cameras and photography circa 1950s to 2000.

The extensive collection includes view, folding, Brownie, Instamatic and Land cameras as well as daguerreotypes, tintypes, glass slides and albumin prints, plus Victorian photo albums, wedding photos and postcards. Some photos capture historically relevant subjects such as Abraham Lincoln, Lillian Gish, Will Rogers and Frank Capra. Famed photographers Cecil Beaton, Bachrach and Wallace Nutting are represented in the displays.

In addition, the Cheltenham Camera Club, the oldest camera club in Pennsylvania, will provide a changing exhibit of modern photography as counterpoint.

The Richard Wall House, which is dated to 1682 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 1 Wall Park Drive off Church Road, just 1/10th of a mile west of Route 611. It features four floors of exhibits, including a vast textile collection, hand tools, Victoriana, wedding gowns, a period kitchen and more. The museum is open for tours on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4: 00 p.m. and for groups by appointment. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information, call 215-887-5159.

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