PECO Grant Will Help Royersford Light Up Schuylkill River Trail

ROYERSFORD, PA — Royersford Borough has been awarded a $10,000 grant for new lighting as part of the rehabilitation of the Trestle Bridge connecting Royersford to the Schuylkill River Trail.

The borough was one of 19 municipalities and nonprofits that were awarded portions of $150,000 in the PECO Region Open Space program, the company’s municipal environmental grant program.

During the coronavirus pandemic, when indoor activities were very limited, people flocked to their community parks.

"What the Greater Philadelphia region — and our nation — realized is that, whether it be a bridge or trail that connects one township with another, or a playground that allows our children to carefully play and our neighbors to safely gather, our open spaces and park systems are both essential infrastructure, and critical to our region’s quality of life. They connect us with nature, and with one another, and an investment in our open spaces brings the greatest return," PECO said in a news release.

From improving stormwater systems to expanding a borough’s urban tree canopy, the 2021 grants will be used to begin or continue 19 projects that will improve sustainability across the Greater Philadelphia region.

Royersford Borough said it will use its grant to rehab a trestle bridge, spanning the Royersford Borough trail to the Schuylkill River Trail, "providing a safe passage for walkers and bikers without using any traffic areas."

In October 2020, Royersford received $428,000 in state funding to develop the borough's portion of the Schuylkill River Trail, including rehabilitation of the trestle bridge that joins Spring City and Royersford.

In June 2020, the trestle bridge project also received funds from Montgomery County, in a "Montco 2040 Implementation Grant" of $115,000. The project includes creating Americans With Disabilities Act access, landscaping, project signage, and other site improvements.

Read more about other funding the trail project has received here.

Since 2004, PECO has awarded more than $2.5 million to nearly 324 projects focused on open space preservation, improvements to parks and recreation resources, and environmental conservation.

PECO Green Region, specifically, is integral to the company's ongoing efforts to support environmental initiatives across Southeastern Pennsylvania, the company said. PECO said its environmental efforts contribute to and support PECO's long-term sustainability effort, for the benefit of customers and communities.

PECO Green Region is executed in partnership with Natural Lands, the Greater Philadelphia region’s oldest and largest land conservation organization that has preserved more than 125,000 acres. Nearly five million people live within five miles of land under the organization’s protection. Learn more at natlands.org

For more information about the PECO Green Region Open Space Program and how PECO powers the environment, go here.

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