A new “pretty place” in Collegeville Borough will be formerly introduced to the public at a special dedication ceremony Saturday.
Collegeville Borough and the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy will celebrate the new Welakamike Creekside Park, located off West First Avenue, at noon.
According to the borough, the dedication will include the formal naming of the park – Welakamike, or “pretty place” – in the language of the Lenni Lenape, a Delaware tribe of indigenous people who were the original inhabitants of the land.
Welakamike Creekside Park was created through a partnership between the borough and the conservancy and funded via federal, state and county grants. It is located next to Montgomery County’s Central Perkiomen Park.
Furthermore, according to the borough, support also came from Ursinus College, the Perkiomen Valley School District, Collegeville Fire Co., and the Delaware Tribe of Indians.
The dedication will occur in concert with another regional event – the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy’s annual Perkiomen Creek Sojourn. In this event, more than 190 canoe and kayakers will depart from a boat launch to eat lunch at Collegeville’s new park during the dedication and follow-up activities, according to the borough.
Dignitaries speaking at the event include Collegeville Borough Mayor Dr. Aidsand “Ace” Wright-Riggins, elected officials, and a representative of the Delaware Tribe of Indians.
According to the borough, the first step in the park’s success was a $106,000 Montgomery County Montco 2024 Grant in 2020 that was put toward development of the park adjacent to the Perkiomen Creek.
The purpose of the park is to provide safe access to canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing. Amenities of the park include a boat ramp, boat storage, a parking area, and picnic tables.
Collegeville had to wait to access the park from West First Avenue, as the Lower Providence Regional Sewer Authority first had to complete its utility work on a second sewer pipeline, according to the borough.
It was Ryan Beltz of the Conservancy who first came across an original boat ramp, which was in disrepair, at the park several years ago during his search for new creek access points for the Conservancy Water Trail initiative, which looks to increase recreation opportunities along the creek, the borough said on its website.
Then, borough officials realized they need to apply for a second Montco 2040 grant for $72,000, due to rising costs of materials and labor.
Here are directions to the event: From Route 29 North, take a right turn onto the Chestnut Street Extension, located across from Kimberton Whole Foods, and then another right onto West First Avenue. The GPS address is 107 W. First Avenue, Collegeville.
