As part of our annual housekeeping, we elected the NACA officers and directors.  You can always find a list of all officers and directors in the “About Us” section of our website.

We were happy to welcome Commisioner Woodring from Ward 3 at the invitation of Ray Courtney since Ray was unavailable. He spoke about various matters being addressed by the Township, including the annual budget for 2027 and new development proposals. He explained that potential tax increases will be under discussion, in part due to efforts to retain a AAA credit rating for the Township, which helps the Township get the best available interest rates on bond issuances.  Commissioner Woodring said he would be reluctant to vote in favor of tax increases given the current pressures on families from the increasing cost of living, but more details on the budget will need to be developed before final decisions are made.  There will be several opportunities to learn more about the 2027 budget at Township meetings, as well as via a video recording of a presentation from September 2026.  Access details at the Township website here.   

Commissioner Woodring also noted that Amtrak is in the early stages of exploring development of the Amtrak-owned surface parking lot near the train station—this may include building a parking garage with retail, offices or residential units on top of it—and that the Township may partner with Amtrak by allowing a portion of Township property to be included within the developed space.   No other details are publicly available yet, and NACA will do our best to keep informed.  He also noted that the former gas station lot across from Whole Foods at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Wynnewood Road will be developed by a bank.  

Finally, Commissioner Woodring reported that hiring of Lower Merion Police Officers has improved recently, after being challenging in the post-pandemic years. The Township just hired 3 more officers, bringing the force to 134 officers in total, with only 2 additional positions remaining open.

Assistant Township Manager Brandon Ford spoke about his efforts working on the Montgomery Avenue Traffic Study, which was undertaken by the Township last year.  The Township has published the results of the Study and certain proposed improvements to Montgomery Avenue as a result.  You can find that information here, including an interactive map.  Please also see below the NACA Board’s request for your feedback on this topic.

Brandon also highlighted the Township’s efforts to enforce the gas leaf blower ban. Several warnings and a few fines were issued, but overall it is going well.   He noted that the ban is currently lifted for the fall season and does not apply again until January 1, 2027.  A year-round prohibition starts in 2029.    Brandon answered several questions from the audience on other topics, including whether the Township will ever make an effort to improve the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Church Road to mitigate the major traffic back-ups we all experience there (he says there are plans in the works) and when the new Ardmore Community Center on Ardmore Avenue will open (aiming for Spring 2027 with the Ardmore Pool open by Summer 2027).

Alec Hersh (Executive Director, Downtown Ardmore District) provided an excellent summary of the significant efforts being undertaken by Downtown Ardmore District to improve quality of life and the pedestrian experience in Admore, making our town an attractive place for small businesses to open in.  He outlined several new stores and restaurants that have opened recently or will open soon, including a new Blue Elephant restaurant, wine bars on Lancaster Avenue and Cricket Avenue, a men’s shoe store on Greenfield Avenue and several others.   Downtown Ardmore District itself is temporarily leasing an open space at 18 E. Lancaster Avenue (across from Ardmore Music Hall) to host pop-up retail for local artists in advance of the holidays. Additionally, Downtown Ardmore District will be fixing the lights in the tunnel under the train tracks on Anderson Avenue.

Alec also highlighted how Downtown Ardmore District has successfully obtained several grants to support their work, including for block improvement, tree care, facade maintenance and small business financial hardship. One such grant for $68,000 from a Pennsylvania state fund will go towards signage for a Placemaking & Wayfinding Program—you will soon see the signage in a few spots around town, including a map of Ardmore with names of local businesses on one side and a historical marker on the other side providing background on the history of Ardmore.

We were excited to announce with Alec that NACA will be making a one-time grant of approximately $1,000 to support adding large planters on Station Avenue near the train station.  Many of you may remember that NACA previously volunteered to help maintain flowers at the old station, and while we have expressed interest with SEPTA in doing so again, so far it does not look like we will be able to make the same arrangements for the new station.  Instead, we will ally with the Downtown Ardmore District, which will take responsibility for maintaining the planters after they are installed.

We’re fortunate to have Alec and the Downtown Ardmore District team working hard to make Ardmore a vibrant place to live, work, shop and dine.  Please check out their website for more details about our local businesses, including events like the annual tree lighting (November 27) and a holiday market (December 5), and consider shopping in Ardmore this season.

Going forward, the NACA Board will continue to focus on quality of life matters important to our neighborhood, including the potential installation of new sidewalks along the dangerous curve on St. George’s Road.  We will keep you informed as we learn more.

We are also considering whether to offer formal feedback to the Township on the implementation plans following the Montgomery Avenue Traffic Study.  In particular, the Township is proposing significantly more lighting for several intersections along our neighborhood, and we are interested to know how our neighbors feel about that. If you have any feedback to share, or general thoughts on practical steps you think the Township should be taking to make Montgomery Avenue safer, then please contact us at northardmorecivic@gmail.com. 

Please also reach out to us if you have ideas about what NACA should be doing to advocate for our neighborhood.  The Board is always happy to hear from you.