Dear Friend of the Barclay Grounds, I am happy to inform you of the Borough of West Chester’s Dedication Ceremony for the new Barclay Park (formerly known as The Barclay Grounds). The Dedication Ceremony will take place just inside the beautiful old gates at the corner of N. High St. and W. Marshall St. at 2:00 pm on Friday, April 22nd (Earth Day 2016). For the past three years the Barclay Grounds Preservation Alliance (BGPA) has, with your help, worked to save this lovely, historic open space from being developed as houses - and to raise the funding to help the Borough of West Chester purchase the property and preserve it as open space in perpetuity. Now the time has finally come for the space to be added to the West Chester Parks system and to be officially opened as a public park for all to enjoy. Barclay Park will be the first new park in the Borough of West Chester for over 10 years. Please join us for this historic moment. The Dedication Ceremony program will include: - Welcome – Carolyn Comitta, Mayor of the Borough of West Chester - “Branching Out” – sung by Michelle Lozowski’s Kindergarten Class, West Chester Friends School (accompanied by Jeff Domenick) - Opening Remarks and Introduction of Guests – Mayor Comitta - A Brief History of Barclay Park – John Cottage, President, BGPA - Short addresses by State Senator Andrew Dinniman and representatives of the offices of State Representative Dan Truitt, the Chester County Commissioners, the Brandywine Conservancy, the Natural Lands Trust and West Chester Borough Council. - Ribbon Cutting for the new Barclay Park The Board of the BGPA and I look forward to seeing you there. Weather Contingency Plan: If the Borough decides to change the plans, due to inclement weather, it will be posted on the Borough’s website/social media outlets prior to the planned dedication time on Friday. The contingency plan is: 2:00 -2:15 pm Ribbon Cutting and Photos (at Barclay Park) 2:15-2:45 pm General Program (at the Borough of West Chester Municipal Building. 401, East Gay St., West Chester, PA 19380. Ph: 610-692-7574). 2:45-3:30 pm Refreshments (Municipal Building) Best wishes, John Cottage President Barclay Grounds Preservation Alliance