Following Up: CCHPN Leadership Luncheon
Posted April 21, 2025
Each year the Chester County Planning Commission (CCPC) and Chester County Historic Preservation Network (CCHPN) partner to host two events that bring together the historical commissions from throughout the county. The latest event was a Leadership Luncheon held on March 15.
Despite the dark skies and dreary weather that day, 41 participants from 21 Chester County municipalities showed up, as well as CCHPN's Board.
The event began with a welcome and introductions from CCPC's Heritage Preservation Coordinator, David Blackburn, followed by representation from Chester County Commissioner, Eric Roe; CCPC's Executive Director, Matt Edmond; and CCHPN President, Jim Buczala.
To kick off the program, Blackburn shared a summary of the Chester County America250 Commission (CC250), including progress made thus far and expectations for the remaining 17 months leading up to the commemoration on July 4, 2026.
Beverly Sheppard, member of the CC250, talked next about guidance for partnerships, and Blackburn followed up by touching on low-cost ideas for community engagement.
The attendees were then broken into small groups to identify the most urgent needs and planning for the 250th, which were then discussed amongst the whole group.
After a short break, CCPC's Heritage Interpretive Network representative, Jeannine Spiers, highlighted the importance of the Network in the overall framework for the 2026 event(s), as well as the 2027 recognition of the Philadelphia Campaign.
Blackburn and Spiers tag-teamed for the last part of the program, discussing other historic preservation initiatives taking place throughout the county, as well as heritage preservation through programs such as the Town Tours & Village Walks (beginning in June) and the Iron and Steel Collaborative.
Overall, the program provided many resources to help inspire Chester County's historic commissions to take actions and plan activities within their communities.
"The citizen preservationists are an extraordinarily important part of the work that we're able to do in connecting the Landscapes3 goals to the work that municipalities do," added Blackburn. "Using these two partnership trainings defines other opportunities to ensure there are training, resources, and cross-border communications between historical commissions in the future."