A Brief History of Robbins Park

Patch's friends at were kind enough to share this brief history of the greenspace for our readership's pleasure.

The park, located at the corner of Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, is also hosting an ongoing seed fundraiser, details of which can be viewed in our media section, along with a slideshow of the park that Patch .

Given that the Robbins Park name, along with its educational programs, was at an Upper Dublin School District budget meeting, it might be a great time to become reacquainted with the park and help fund its operations.

Without further ado, a brief history of Robbins park:

Robbins Park is a unique joint venture between Upper Dublin School District and Upper Dublin Township.  Founded in 1975, it currently supports 25 different programs and activities for outdoor education.  Our mission is to empower our students and community members to be lifelong stewards of the environment, through quality education.

Robbins Park Environmental Education Center began as a dream of the high school science department led by Dr. William R. H. Ritter.  Science students and faculty saw the need for an undisturbed area within the township to carry out environmental education programs.  There was also the desire to increase the level of ecological concern for the remaining natural areas within the rapidly growing community.

Through negotiations between Upper Dublin School District and the Township, the Robbins Park area was chosen because of its accessibility to our schools, and its relatively undisturbed state.  Originally, the Robbins Park acreage was donated as open space by the generous contributions of the Cheston and Robbins families and Westrum Properties.  The School District and Township joined together to provide funds to support and develop Robbins Park.

“It is our hope that this valuable and irreplaceable parkland can be set aside to preserve the unique primitive features which presently exist.  In an age when the awareness of environmental programs and concerns for most of our citizens is just beginning, we could become a leader.  By providing an environmental parkland area within our own community boundaries, we could insure that present and future citizens would have both a learning tool and a retreat to nature close at hand.” (From the original proposal for Robbins Park, March 1974)

In 1974, trails were cleared and chipped throughout the 38 acre forest.  All materials were donated, and much of the work was done by high school students.  In April, 1975, the park was dedicated as an environmental study center.

The work did not end with the dedication.  Shortly afterward the pond was reinforced and restored for educational use.  (It was again dredged in 1999).  An historic springhouse was reconstructed based on designs from the 1700s.  In celebration of the US Bicentenary, student workers established a Bicentennial Garden and a log cabin was constructed. This prominent, now iconic structure facing Butler Pike, was used for many years as the only enclosed classroom on site. 

In 1989 the Cheston Center was built to serve as the main educational facility.  Students love to come to this discovery center to see the many preserved specimens and artifacts from the local area!  An enclosed bird blind, tucked away on one of the many trails, was added in 1994 with a generous donation from Rohm and Haas.

Throughout the years the park has been improved in many ways.  Local Eagle Scouts have worked in the park on many significant projects such as the creation of an outdoor amphitheater used for outdoor lessons, a pond observation deck and birdhouses.    F. Eugene Dixon of the Widener Foundation donated money for a one mile raised walkway allowing handicapped residents and students access to many wooded areas.  The park contains a passive solar greenhouse that helps foster planting seeds with many grades.   Funds were donated in the memory of Dr. Robert T. Whittenberger and construction by Wiley Contractors.  These are only a few of many unique features found here.

Residents are encouraged to come and see rain barrels in use, composting, organic, sustainable vegetable gardens, and a natural succession meadow.  The field, forest and stream provide a perfect migratory stop for many species of birds.  The Park is home to active solar panels presented to Upper Dublin by TRF Sustainable Development Fund and Smart Power for qualifying as a PA Clean Energy Community.  Environmental educational signage, Each One Teach One, created by former director Sara Smith, are located throughout the park.

Today, Robbins Park educators, employees of Upper Dublin School District, after 30+ years, continue to promote conservation of non-renewable resources, provide information for reusing and recycling materials, but, most importantly, teach well-integrated science lessons to every student in the school district.  These students are brought to the park several times a year as a vital extension of the district science curriculum.  Here they are encouraged to investigate and learn in a natural space.  This ongoing partnership with the township is unique in our area and within the state.

Robbins Park is open daily, dawn to dusk, for hiking, picnics, birding, or just as a quiet area set aside for contemplation and renewal. (Sorry, in deference to the wildlife in this preserved area, there are no pets allowed.)                                                                                                         For more information, call (215) 641.0921   Robbinspark@gmail.com

You can become a member of Friends of Robbins Park (FoRP), a group of concerned residents who want to protect and preserve this park’s unique heritage as a local natural area and maintain this dynamic environmental education facility.  Communication and donations may be made to FoRP, 1419 E. Butler Pk., Ambler, PA  19002  FORP2012@gmail.com