Mobilities Journal

Navigating Community Resources in West Chester, PA

I am from the borough of West Chester, PA, which means I live within walking distance of many resources many people may not have easy access to. My house has a walkability score of 64, but the houses on the left side of my neighborhood have higher scores as they are closer to our park and downtown. I am about a 15-minute walk from downtown West Chester and can walk to the Chester County Hospital if needed. I am also within walking distance of the high school I went to. The school did not provide my neighborhood bus transportation because we were located within a mile of the school. 
Marshall Square Park is about a six-minute walk from my house. This park has a gazebo, playground equipment, basketball courts, a public bathroom, and many benches. Across the street from the park, there are two bus stops for SEPTA buses. This park is also within walking distance of a homeless shelter, so it is common for unhoused people to spend time here. Although it can be difficult to find affordable housing as an unhoused person, Marshall Square Park acts as a safe public space to access a bathroom and some kind of shelter (gazebo). The benches also do not have armrests in the middle which may be used to keep people from sleeping on them. The screenshot below shows the distance from my house to the park and the number of bus stops that are within walking distance. 

Elizabeth Geier 

Contents of this tag:

  1. Parks, Outdoors and Greenspace
  2. Public Transportation
  3. Accessibility
  4. Walkability

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