During a heavy rainstorm, thousands of gallons of water gravitate towards the intersection of West Springfield Avenue and Valley Green Road in Chestnut Hill. The deluge flows downhill into Wissahickon Creek, carving mini trenches along the roads and bringing pollutants into the watershed.
“Even in a mild rainstorm, the water can be up to your ankles,” said Jenny McHugh, director of major gifts at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCH).
School officials are hoping that a new project will help soak up stormwater and reduce erosion in the area.
A recently awarded $650,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation will fund the construction of three rain gardens, install erosion control structures and plant native vegetation around “The Rec,” the school’s performing arts center located at the intersection, SCH officials announced Nov. 12. The enhancements are part of the school’s ongoing renovation of the facility, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2026 as a multiuse program center.
The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) approved the project design last week, and construction is expected to take several months to complete, McHugh said. The Water Department also awarded grant money for the project, $437,725 in June, as a part of the utility’s Stormwater Grant Program.
“I live in Chestnut Hill, and I’m a frequent user of the park. I’m really grateful that they’re being good stewards for the future. This is taking care of the next generation,” McHugh told the Local in September.
Two rain gardens — one measuring 2,300 square feet, the other 2,800 — will border Valley Green Road, across the street from The Rec. A third 14-by-8-foot rain garden will be adjacent to the center. The gardens will feature native, deep-rooted plants that will capture stormwater and prevent soil erosion. Currently, the area is overgrown with Norway maples, Japanese knotweed and other invasives, McHugh said.
The gardens also will serve as a learning tool. Teachers and students will analyze data collected from the rain garden such as water quality, infiltration rates (the speed at which water enters soil) and changes to its biodiversity.
The William Penn Foundation grant “represents our shared belief that education and stewardship go hand in hand,” Dr. Steve Druggan, SCH head of school, said in a press release.
Nathan Boon, senior program officer of the William Penn Foundation, said SCH’s project goes “above and beyond” sustainability requirements and provides a model for other institutions.
“The Wissahickon Valley is under constant threat from erosion and stormwater runoff concerns,” Boon said in an email. “The multiple acres of additional green stormwater infrastructure to be installed with this project will be more than just an aesthetic upgrade — they will fight harmful erosion, help improve water quality, protect the park and surrounding habitat, and provide opportunities for environmental education and engagement.”
Without access to city sewer systems, SCH manages stormwater through its several rain gardens, stormwater dry wells, permeable parking lots and other methods.
McHugh hopes erosion control measures, like the upcoming Rec project, will help protect the Wissahickon Creek and SCH from the effects of climate change, which is leading to heavier rain and increasing the risk of flooding. Average annual rainfall in Philadelphia is projected to increase 5-12 percent by the 2050s.
“If we don’t fix it, it will continue to erode the Wissahickon and the river beds,” she said. “It’s going to get worse and worse. That’s why you have to take the measures to mitigate it as best you can.”
SCH was one of the 101 organizations that recently received grants from The William Penn Foundation, the organization announced Nov. 12. Other local awardees include Woodmere, which was awarded $531,873. Friends of the Wissahickon received $186,319 over two years to expand its Zone Stewards volunteer initiative and Friends of Cresheim Trail received $39,160 for capacity building.
Abby Weiss is an environmental reporter for the Local and a Report for America corps member. She can be reached at abby@chestnuthilllocal.com.
