“We’re really excited to do this. It’s a nice update for the community. We are going to do a modernization of the square,’’ said Lisa Brown, West Chester Twp.’s administrator.
“We’re trying to have a focus on our parks and amenities and how we can better utilize those to serve the community. It’s a visual space that’s used by a big majority of our community.”
Plans call for building a new, larger stage on the opposite side of the square from the existing stage. It will have the ability to put a screen on the stage for viewing parties, or similar events.
The stage will be covered, allowing for fewer canceled concerts and events, Brown said. It should also reduce echoes sometimes heard at the current location of the stage.
“Reorienting the stage will now focus the sound out to a more open area rather than bouncing off all those buildings around there,” Brown said.
“Changing the orientation of the stage will also improve the view for those attending events.”
Some concrete will be removed and replaced with grass to provide more places for people to sit. Two shaded plazas will also be added.
Two mini-splash pads — to be built on either side of the new stage — will replace existing fountains that will be removed.
The splash pads will be simple, interactive, mostly water sprays, with changeable lights, but no play features.
Few changes are coming to the clock tower itself and the patio around it.
“We are adding and incorporating some up lighting at the base of the clock tower,’’ said Barb Wilson, township spokeswoman. “We’re adding the lighting capability but the structure itself isn’t changing.”
More decorative concrete barriers will be added for security.
This year there will be six concerts on the existing stage, beginning May 22 – one week earlier than usual – and ending June 26, Wilson said. The line-up will be announced in the next few weeks.
About the Author