Unionville area residents have a new park – officially – after Unionville Community Park had its ribbon cutting on Sept. 1.

Board of supervisors chairman Cuyler Walker attended the opening, and said that discussions about the 20-acre property began in 1994, when there was a plan to put townhouses on the land. It took years for the township to acquire the land for a park.

Funding was provided by grants, chiefly $680,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Rescources, $355,000 from the Chester County Parks and Recreation Department, and $162,000 from Pennsylvania Greenway Trails.

The new park has a paved trail, and boardwalks over wetlands areas. The parking lot has room for 30 cars. Future expansions will include a playground, benches, a ballfield and a dog park.