Kate Galer, Ardmore
President, Friends of Linwood Park
Chair, Lower Merion Township Environmental Advisory Council
What do you do with an acre of abandoned parking lot? If you’re Kate Galer, you enlist an all-volunteer army of neighbors to transform the corner of Linwood and Athens avenues into a petite green space, complete with benches, statuary and café-style tables. Created in 2008, Linwood Park is now a neighborhood hub with a full roster of family-friendly events.
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Why she loves Ardmore: It’s totally walkable and has a great mix of people, housing and socioeconomic groups. Best-kept secret in Ardmore: Hykel’s Bar & Grille [1] on County Line Road. It has a nice rear bar and a deck where you can eat with the kids. I hear the wings are great, but I’m a vegetarian. Linwood Park events she’s most excited about: Chalk Mob [2], a giant, messy, experiential sidewalk chalk-art extravaganza for kids and adults. Summer Solstice Park-to-Park Bike Ride, meeting at Linwood Park and ending at the Cynwyd Trail. Must-do outdoor activity: Love, love, love Chanticleer in Wayne. Favorite hobby: Gardening at Linwood Park or Penn Valley Elementary, where I’m the garden chair. Favorite places to shop for clothes: I practice what I preach in terms of sustainability, so I try to buy secondhand or American-made clothing. Locally, I shop at the Junior League Thrift Shop and Penny Wise in Ardmore. I look for the “Made in the USA” label on affordable clothes at Macy’s, Urban Outfitters and Free People. I venture to the Salvation Army in Manayunk for the supermarket thrift-shopping experience. Favorite places to shop for food: Carlino’s in Ardmore and Whole Foods. We belong to Red Earth Farm [3], a CSA where we get local produce. Top spot for date night: A la Maison [4] in Ardmore. If she had 30 minutes to herself, she would: Clean the house or paint the living room. I feel like
I’m never caught up. Worst traffic headache: Conestoga Road at rush hour. Visit friendsoflinwoodpark.org.
