Council OKs historical mural
Group seeks $130,000 to cover costs of project
PHOENIXVILLE >> It’s been a long road to return a symbol of the borough’s rise from the ashes back where it belongs. Last summer, more than 3,000 people supported an effort to bring back a 40-foot-by-80-foot mural depicting the history of the former steel town to the corner of Bridge and Main streets, right in the heart of Phoenixville. It appears that effort is finally beginning to pay off, as borough council gave the goahead last week.
Council voted 6-0 for the mu- ral to be restored, this time in the form of a digital wallpaper. Councilmen Edwin Soto and Jonathan Ewald were absent.
The Schuylkill River Heritage Center now needs to raise $130,000 to pay back the loan to purchase the mural’s property and begin production this summer.
History lesson
Barbara Cohen, president of the Schuylkill River Heritage Center, said the life of this project has roots dating back to 1992 when the borough was still in recovery from the closure of its steel mills.
“In October 1964, over 100 Medal of Honor Recipients came to participate in the dedication of the Grove, bringing to bear the significance of its vision,” Thomas Kelley, president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, stated. “It’s been over 50 years since that day and the Grove is just as important now as it was then, perhaps more so. I can’t be more pleased that this easement will secure its preservation and its tribute for generations to come.”
The sprawling Grove makes up the majority of the Freedoms Foundation 72-acre campus, paying tribute to those recipients through memorials and obelisks located on land set apart for each of the 50 states and two U.S. territories. This historic part of the Freedoms Foundation campus is noted for its walking trails, wood- land beauty, and peaceful reverence befitting the recognition of those it honors.
“The Grove is now preserved for future generations, so that they may experience this spiritual place, which represents duty, honor and country,” Wally Nunn, board chairman for Freedoms Foundation and founding chairman of The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove said in the release.
Ongoing maintenance and beautification of the Grove has been through the commitment and efforts of a nonprofit, volunteer organization known as The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove. Founded in 2011, the small nonprofit has raised funds and organized volunteers to improve, enhance, and maintain the dignity of the Medal of Honor Grove. “The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove, exemplify the type of engaged citizenship that our organization fosters,” Michael Di Yeso, president and CEO of Freedoms Foundation said in the release. “They lead by example and we are grateful for all that they have done and continue to do. The Grove has been an important part of our teacher professional development programs, our youth civic education programs, and fulfillment of our mission to educate, honor, and challenge Americans to become engaged citizens.”
Open Space easements have shown over time to be a successful method of land preservation for local communities.
“With the continued growth in Schuylkill Township, it is important to conserve areas of natural beauty that enhance our environment and quality of life,” Bob Mauch, chairman of Schuylkill Township Open Space Commission, said in the release.
“We are delighted to have played a role in the permanent conservation of this sacred green space,” Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands Trust, said in the release.