2023-2024

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The Trust will continue to work with community non-profits for the upcoming fiscal year. Those who have benefited from The Trust's Community Grants include:

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•  Arasapha Garden Club

•  St. Vincent de Paul Society

•  Community Tree Planting/Trees for Historic New Castle

•  Scholarship Grants

•  Friends of Bellanca

•  Paint Historic New Castle

•  Good-Will Fire Company

•  New Castle Hundred Delaware Lions Club-Art on the Green
•  New Castle Community Partnership:

            Concerts, A Day in Old New Castle, Belgian Beer Festival

•  New Castle Italian Heritage Foundation

•  New Castle Historical Society: Old Library exhibit, Dickens Christmas,

            Visitor Center Operations, Gardens

•  New Castle Little League

•  New Castle Police/Good-Will Community Events

•  New Castle Public Library

•  New Castle Senior Center

•  St. Anthony’s Society

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September 2019 - Town Hall Renovations

New roof and cupola installed.

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March 2018 - The Old Library Video available to view

The new video created by Bruce Burk and John Geisel is available on the Trust’s YouTube channel. To see it click on this link, The Old Library Video.  Many thanks to Bruce and John for a job very well done.
 

Community Improvements

Investments by the Trust Corporation in Trust owned property create an enduring value and quality of life in New Castle, while becoming “proud” assets for the use of the community.  Many of these properties are on the National Historic Register.  The maintenance and improvement of these Trust holdings are central to the responsibilities of the Board of Trustees.

Money was invested, 26 projects have been completed in the last 10 years, and there are more improvements in the works.  These advancements, in addition to routine maintenance, were made with a methodical and deliberate strategy with the help of engineers, site, and building professionals.  Additionally, the Trust financed a City Government-led storm water infrastructure and street curb improvements.

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The 112-acre Historic Penn Farm, the last of the 11 original Farm properties of the Trust, advanced with the installation of restrooms and amenities in the Bank Barn.  This venue is now a safe, inviting, fun and educational place to learn about and experience agriculture.  The Farm fields are restored, soils improved, and storm water management corrected and nearly 80 acres of corn, and soybeans and other vegetables are harvested annually.  The Penn Farmhouse, recently restored, is now the Corporate Headquarters for the Trustees of New Castle Common.

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Improvements to the property used by the New Castle Little League have improved user safety with the installation of new lighting and storm water management corrections.  The creation of a new landscaped parking lot, complete with period style lighting, safely serves a multitude of users. It provides overflow parking for nearby events at the Bellanca Air Museum, Little League fields and Penn Farm.

Battery Park has been transformed into one of the cleanest and safest parks in the New Castle area with upgrades that include a “hands-free” ADA compliant restroom facility, improvements to the popular Riverwalk Trail, Tennis Court and fencing repairs, security camera installation, numerous tree plantings and a strategic investment in the engineering and installation of an improved storm water infrastructure.  This storm water system improves the regional drainage, now under the Park, for the neighboring residential and commercial streets as well as for users of the Park.  Eliminating standing water results in a reduction of mosquito population.

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Open space stewardship has been increased with the development of ecologically sound, environmentally friendly meadows.  The developments on smaller sized Trust properties make for great places to park your bike or to just stop and read or rest.  The meadows located in the Dobbinsville area, Bull Hill area and along the River at the Ferry Lots at 2nd & Chestnut, when in bloom, make for some of the best views of open space around and are important advancements in the green infrastructure improving drainage quality.  Trust properties that serve as gateway entrances to the City are now landscaped with beautiful trees.  The restoration of the Historic Hermitage property has led to creation of the Hermitage Wildlife Area which provides a unique way to experience the marshlands and wildlife indigenous to this area.