Markers Honor Bob O'Leary, Champion Of Chesco Parks And Trails

WEST CHESTER, PA — The Friends of Chester Valley Trail group has found a way to honor a man whose long career included service on Chester County's Parks and Recreation Board and presiding over the Chester Valley Trail organization, as well as service to Tredyffrin Township.

A freshly planted redbud tree and memorial bench purchased by the Friends of Chester Valley Trail serve as markers in memory of Bob O’Leary, who died over the summer.

O'Leary's legacy and commitment to Chester County are remembered and appreciated by the hundreds of thousands of people who use the Chester Valley Trail every year, the county said this week.

"Bob will be remembered forever by those who knew him," the Chester County Commissioners Office stated in a news release.

O'Leary served on the Chester County Parks and Recreation Board for nearly a decade, and he was the first President of the Friends of the Chester Valley Trail organization, helping it to achieve incorporation and a 501c3 status.

O'Leary also spent decades in public service in Tredyffrin Township, serving on the township’s Planning Commission, as chair of the Paoli Inter-Modal Station Task Force, and as chair of the Patriots Path Task Force.

The tree planted in Bob O’Leary’s memory was purchased locally and is standing next to the bench on a portion of the Chester Valley Trail located in Tredyffrin Township, near North Valley Road. It's about a mile away from Bob’s former home in Tredyffrin and also near the Tredyffrin Township building where Bob volunteered and served.

A plaque will soon be added near the bench and tree and the county said it hopes to hold an official dedication ceremony in the spring of 2021.