nLittle Crum Creek Park (LCCP) is 4.74 acres located between Yale Avenue and Cresson Lane
west of Swarthmore Avenue.
nLCCP is the Borough’s largest most diverse park in
terms of plantings and habitat. The
main branch of Little
Crum Creek follows its Western border.
In the center, it intersects with another branch of the creek. There
is a spring on the southern end that feeds a marshy area near Yale Ave. Most of its eastern border is lined by private homes on
Swarthmore Avenue except for a small piece at the corner of Yale and Swarthmore Avenues.
nThe park land was acquired in 1894 (1.5
acres) and 1970 (3.24 acres).
nPark Uses include recreational activities, dog walking,
passive recreation, bird watching, picnics, large group gatherings, informal sports i.e. Frisbee,
weddings/photographs, etc.
nThere are many mature trees of various sizes; native
species, both coniferous and deciduous, in varying stages of health, some dead or dying. (Examples of trees include American Elm,
London Plane Tree, Norway
Spruce, Osage orange, Kentucky Coffee Tree, Black Elm, Colorado Blue Spruce,
Persimmon, Pear, River Birch, Sour
Gum, Beech, Pin Oak, and White Pine.)
Many exotic invasives i.e. vines (English Ivy), Norway Maples (some badly diseased), and Box
Elders are crowding out desirable natives.
nThe stream banks are highly eroded and consist of a
mixture of clay materials and fly ash situated on a fairly shallow bedrock foundation. They have recently been the sites of two
stream bank stabilization projects.
nOf all Borough-owned parks and natural areas, Little
Crum Creek is in greatest need of remedial attention and improvement.
nPartial List of Recommendations:
nThe open meadow in the center should remain open and
usable as an informal play area.
nEstablish an ongoing maintenance and improvement
plan. Establish a schedule for removing
Norway Maples, Box Elders, and
other exotic invasives (e.g., ivy lining one entire side of the creek bank,
wild roses, poison ivy,
etc.)
nPlant new trees: oaks, sugar maples, and flowering
natives
nGradually replace English ivy with ostrich ferns. The
Scott Arboretum has dealt with these problems and can make specific suggestions for doing this in an
environmentally responsible way without disturbing the stream banks.
nPlant viburnum along the creek bank in earliest
restoration site where black willows were planted and failed to survive.
nMark a No-Mow Zone along creek bank and around wetland
area.
nThe wetland created by the spring should eventually be
planted with suitable tress and other plants to create a natural habitat.
nPerform additional stream bank restoration and erosion
control.
n