Township Parks System
Parks and Open Spaces
Bird Sanctuaries
Edward Hicks Parry Bird Sanctuary
George A. Perley Bird Sanctuary
Recreational Areas
Charles D. Conklin, Jr. Recreation Area
Harry S. Renninger Recreation Area
Community Pools
Community Centers
PARKS & OPEN SPACES
Coventry Park (2.8346 acres)
New Second Street and Coventry Avenue, Melrose Park
Facilities include: Open space and natural area.
History: Acquired by the Township in 1956 as an open space area.
Curtis Arboretum (45.55 acres)
Entrance on Church Road, near Greenwood Avenue, Wyncote
Facilities include: Passive recreation area, two ponds, arbor, leisure area, parking area.
History: Former estate of Cyrus H. K. Curtis, publishing magnate, the arboretum and music room of his mansion was acquired by the Township in 1937 as a gift from Mr. Curtis' daughter to last during her lifetime. Upon her death, it was reverted back to the Curtis heirs. The property was purchased by the Township in 1974. The Hall is the former music room and ballroom of the Curtis mansion. It is now used as the regular meeting place of the Board of Commissioners, as well as for many social functions. A stone memorial and tree grove was established by the Township in 1948 in tribute to all residents who gave their lives in service in World War II.
Laurel and Woodland Avenues, Cheltenham
Facilities include: Open space and natural area
South end of Carroll Avenue, Glenside
Facilities include: Open space and natural area
Grove Park (2.88 acres)
Lynnewood Avenue near Cherry Lane, Glenside
Facilities include: Passive recreation area, open space.
History Acquired by the Township in 1939, it was once part of the George Heist estate.
High School Park (7 acres)
High School Road and Montgomery Avenue, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Passive recreation area, open space, trails, wildflower garden, parking area.
Parkview Road Park (13.14 acres)
Parkview Road, Cheltenham
Facilities include: Open space and natural area.
History: This land was purchased by the Township in late 1950 to preserve open space.
Ralph Morgan Park (5.5 acres)
Glenside Avenue near Jenkintown Train Station
Facilities include: Passive recreation area, half court basketball, tot-lot playground, open space, natural area, paved walking trail.
History Once called Wyncote Park, it was renamed Ralph Morgan Park in 1965 in tribute to a Cheltenham Township Commissioner from 1924 to 1961. A memorial was also dedicated in the park in his honor.
Robinson Park (4 acres)
Greenwood Avenue and North Bent Road, Wyncote
Facilities include: Pond, fountain, gazebo, passive recreation area.
Rock Lane Park (1.77 acres)
Rock Lane, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Passive recreation area, open space, natural area.
History: State-acquired in 1968, this flood plain area remains a natural area for residents to enjoy.
Tookany Creek Park
Tookany Creek Parkway, Cheltenham
Facilities include: Passive recreation area, natural area, jogging trail, leisure area, fitness court.
History: Acquired by the Township in parcels between 1933 and 1945. It is currently maintained as a passive recreation area.
BIRD SANCTUARIES
Edward Hicks Parry Bird Sanctuary (12.82 acres)
Chelten Hills Drive, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Open space, natural area.
History: Acquired in parcels by the Township from 1928 through 1944 for the purpose of providing open space. Once called "Chelten Hills Drive Bird Sanctuary," it was renamed in 1988 in tribute to a life-long Cheltenham resident and long time president of the Wyncote Bird Club. Mr. Parry was also a leader in environmental and conservation issues.
George A. Perley Bird Sanctuary (8.07 acres)
Glenside Avenue and Rices Mill Road, Glenside
Facilities include: Open space and natural area.
History: A gift to the Township in 1956 from Standard Press Steel (now SPS Technologies), it has been maintained in its natural state for preservation of wildlife and open space. It was named for the first president of the Wyncote Bird Club, a long-time resident of the Township.
RECREATIONAL AREAS
H. Carroll Brooke Park (6.84 acres)
620 Brooke Road, Glenside
Facilities include: Playground, tot-lot playground outdoor basketball court (1/2 court), one softball field, parking area.
History: Acquired by the Township in 1936, it is named for the first President of the Board of Commissioners.
Charles D. Conklin, Jr. Recreation Area (6.68 acres)
Church and Yew Roads, Cheltenham
Facilities include: Outdoor swimming pool, full outdoor basketball court, outdoor sand volleyball court, playground, tot-lot playground, grills and picnicking, open leisure area, bathhouse, wading pool, parking area. Membership information
History: Formerly the "Cheltenham Swim Club," it was purchased by the Township in 1967 to provide swimming to residents. The area was dedicated to Mr. Conklin in July 1972, in honor of his service to the residents of the Township as Commissioner from 1926 to 1973.
Melrose Park (7.237 acres)
330 Asbury Avenue, Melrose Park
Facilities include: Playground, supervised summer playground program, one baseball field converted for soccer, leisure area, covered pavilion, parking area.
History: Acquired by the Township in two parcels in 1940 and 1948 to provide area residents with recreational opportunities.
Ogontz Park (10.35 acres)
Church and High School Roads, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Three tennis courts, handicapped-accessible playground, supervised summer playground program, quarter-mile jogging track, two softball fields converted for soccer, leisure area.
History: Once part of the Ogontz Junior High School complex, the athletic fields, jogging track and tennis courts were purchased by the Township from the School District in 1977, when the school closed. The playground was established by the Township in 1981.
Harry S. Renninger Recreation Area (8.278 acres)
Keswick Avenue and Waverly Road, Glenside
Facilities include: One baseball/softball field converted for soccer, two full outdoor basketball courts, playground, supervised summer playground program, leisure area.
John Russell Park (7.1025 acres)
Penrose and Willow Avenues, LaMott
Facilities include: Open space, two softball fields converted for soccer.
History: This park is named for the man whose estate was in this area. Acquired by the Township in late 1950 as a gift from the Robinson family.
Wall Park (13.16 acres)
600 Church Road, west of York Road, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Once Upon a Playground -- a one-of-a-kind playground built in May 2004 by the Friends of Wall Park -- three lighted outdoor tennis courts, full outdoor lighted basketball court, a skate park for skateboard and inline skates, playground, supervised summer playground program, spray pool, two softball fields, rest rooms, parking area, leisure area.
History: Purchased by the Township in two parcels in 1926 and 1932. The playground area and spray pool were developed in 1965. The basketball court was constructed in 1969. The park was once part of the Richard Wall estate, and thus named in his honor.
Thomas Williams Park (9.13 acres)
North Bent and Hewett Roads, Wyncote
Facilities include: Four tennis courts, full outdoor basketball court, playground, supervised summer playground program, tot-lot play area, two softball fields converted for soccer, covered pavilion.
History: Once used as a junior high school by the Cheltenham Township School District, the building and surrounding grounds were given to the Township in exchange for a parcel of ground owned by the Township, which is now the site of the Cedarbrook Middle School. The tennis courts were constructed by the Township in 1974. The school building was demolished in 1970. It was dedicated Thomas Williams Park in 1971 in honor of the man whose estate was located here.
Fred Griffin Field - Part of Tookany Creek Park
Tookany Creek Parkway and Central Avenue
Facilities include: Two baseball fields converted for soccer, concession/storage building, rest rooms, one outdoor basketball court, two tennis courts, playground, supervised summer playground program, parking area.
History: This park area was dedicated in 1975 in honor of a long-time president of the Cheltenham Boy's Club (now known as the Cheltenham Jay-Vees).
Gimbel Field - Part of Tookany Creek Park
Tookany Creek Parkway and Harrison Avenue, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Two baseball fields.
History: Acquired by the Township in 1965 expressly for the development of Little League programs in the Township. Named for Ellis A. Gimbel, a front-runner in organizing field improvements for the Old York Road Little League, who continue to use this field.
Kleinheinz Pond - Part of Tookany Creek Park
Tookany Creek Parkway, east of Beryl Road
Facilities include: Pond stocked for fishing, annual Fishing Derby in June, parking area, leisure area, and fountain.
History: Named in memory of William Kleinheinz (1865-1936), a resident of Cheltenham Township, and a leading horticulturist. A stone memorial has been placed there in his honor.
Elkins Park Roller Hockey Arena
Tookany Creek Parkway and New Second Street, Elkins Park
Facilities include: Three rinks for league and open play
History: In 1996 the Township converted leased tennis courts from school district to provide inline skaters a place to play.
COMMUNITY POOLS
Charles D. Conklin, Jr. Pool (6.68 acres)
Church and Yew Roads, Cheltenham
Facilities include: Outdoor swimming pool, full outdoor basketball court, outdoor sand volleyball court, playground, grills and picnicking, open leisure area, bathhouse, baby wading pool, parking area. Membership infomration.
History: Formerly the "Cheltenham Swim Club", it was purchased by the Township in 1967 to provide swimming to residents. The area was dedicated to Mr. Conklin in July 1972, in honor of his service to the residents of the Township as Commissioner from 1926 to 1973.
Glenside Pool - Part of Harry S. Renninger Recreation Area
Keswick Avenue and Waverly Road, Glenside
Facilities include: Lighted swimming pool, leisure area, bathhouse, baby pool, children's water slide. Call the Parks and Recreation Department at 887-1000, extension 227 for membership information. Membership information.
History: The Glenside Pool was reconstructed and relocated in 1967 to provide aquatic recreation for all Township resident.
COMMUNITY CENTERS
LaMott Community Center (1.273 acres)
Willow and Sycamore Avenues, LaMott
Facilities include: Full indoor basketball court, playground, supervised summer playground program, indoor recreational and educational programs year-round, senior citizen programs, various health programs, playing field. For further information, call the center's director at 215-635-3255.
History: Once the site of Camp William Penn during the Civil War, this town of LaMott was known as "Camptown." It was renamed LaMott to honor Lucretia Mott, a well-known abolitionist who lived here. The LaMott Grammar School was built in 1879 to encourage the purchase of real estate in the area. It closed in 1940, and reopened in 1941 as a community center to serve area residents.
Rowland Community Center (2.3956 acres)
Myrtle and Elm Avenue, Cheltenham
Facilities include: Indoor instructional and recreational programs year-round, full indoor and outdoor basketball courts, playground, senior citizen programs, parking area. For further information, call the Center's Director at 215-379-2233.
History: Built in 1915 by the Cheltenham Township School District as an elementary school, it was named in honor of Thomas Rowland, an influential Cheltenham resident in the 1800's. The building and surrounding grounds were purchased by the Township from the School District when the school closed in 1977.