Upper Dublin Township seeks easements for Sunny Willow pedestrian connection; district committee advances requests

Upper Dublin Township asked the Upper Dublin School District on Wednesday to grant two easements across Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School property so the township can build a pedestrian trail linking Sunny Willow Swim Club to Twining Valley Park and install a water line to serve the dog park and Fort Washington Fire Company training grounds. The district’s finance committee voted to move the easement items to the full legislative meeting for approval.

"We do believe that the project would have very minimal impact on our property at Thomas Fitzwater, and would actually provide… an improved walking path," said Derek Doreka, Upper Dublin Township’s parks and recreation director, who presented the project and said the township has a perpetual easement from Sunny Willow and construction documents ready. Doreka said the township intends to apply this spring for implementation grants and hopes to construct the work in 2027.

Doreka said the utility easement would route a water line at School Lane down to the dog park and across the street so the Fort Washington Fire Company training grounds would have a reliable water source instead of relying solely on wells. The Township said it had received grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to secure the easement from Sunny Willow Swim Club.

Board members asked detailed questions about construction timing and maintenance. "It's probably… no more than 2 months," Doreka said when asked how long construction would take. On daily upkeep, he noted the trail is not a public sidewalk and said, "It's not a sidewalk… it's an internal connection," adding the Township will take long-term maintenance responsibility while day-to-day decisions such as snow clearing would be the district’s choice.

Administration told the committee it will provide a follow-up analysis of how many residences would gain safe walking access under the plan. The finance committee had no objections and agreed to advance both easement items to the legislative meeting for formal consideration.