Battlefield park wants road rally
The Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates wants to hold a road rally on Saturday, May. 16. The event is planned as part of America’s 250th, according to Battlefield Park Administrator Troy Gribb.
“We ‘re just thinking about celebrating the 250th,” Grubb said. “We thought, let’s get people to these historic sites that were part of the battle. So, it’s like, why not do something like this?”
According to event coordinator Sarah Marsh, who spoke to Birmingham Township supervisors about the event at the board’s Feb. 2 meeting, the rally will start at 9 a.m. at the Brandywine Battlefield Park and finish there about eight hours later.
The actual route and stopping points are being kept a secret until race day, but there will be stops at Sandy Hollow and Birmingham Hill. The park will need to indemnify the Birmingham Township Police Department for traffic control during the race.
According to plans now, drivers will leave the park in groups of eight, about 15 minutes apart, and will travel a course that will take them to multiple sites of the 1777 Battle of Brandywine. They anticipate about 250 cars taking part in what the organizers think is a 26-mile route.
“They will follow the path the soldiers took,” Marsh said.
It’s not a timed event, but there will be reenactors at each of the stops to talk about the battle. Drivers will then have to answer trivia questions about what they’ve learned from the reenactors. Prizes will be given.
Pre-registration is required. For more information on the race, or to register, people should either send an email to. Bbpa250@gmail.com, or visit https://bit.ly/brandywine-amazing-race.
Other business
• Long-time volunteer Chuck Feld has stepped down from the township’s Recreation Parks and Open Space Committee, and the supervisors recognized him with a plaque. Feld was on RPOS for 14 years.
“One of the things Chuck did was that he was extremely instrumental in the three different reenactments that we had, as well as the installation of fencing at Sandy Hollow and Birmingham Hill. Basically, he just got stuff done,” said Supervisors Chairman Scott Boorse.
Boorse continued, saying, “In recognition of Chuck’s service, we want to award him with this plaque and thank him on behalf of the township for all the work he’s done for us.”
Feld was replaced on RPOS by Dave Miersch, who will serve until the end of 2030.
• The board also announced that they appointed Greg Smith to the Planning Commission and will serve there through the end of 2029.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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