By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

From the time she was first elected as the mayor of Avondale Borough in 2022, Susan Rzucidlo – in partnership with Borough Council, borough residents and elected officials – has been working to tackle the challenges every small borough faces. Recently, the Chester County Press caught up with Susan to discuss some of the key issues – short- and long-term – that dot the borough’s agenda.

Chester County Press: You have long been an advocate for the power of using a singular voice to help effect change. What first led you to realize the power that one voice can have?

Susan Rzucido: I am the mom of a young man who has a severe form of autism, who is now 32 years old. I learned early on that I needed to advocate for him in both the educational system and the medical system and later in government. I learned from some great parent advocates and feel strongly that the voice of one person can make change not only in someone’s life, but also in broader systems like education and government.

You have been the Mayor of Avondale Borough since 2022. What led you to campaign for the office? Was there a particular issue that you wished to address? 

When my son Ben and I moved to Avondale in 2019, I started attending Borough Council meetings. I’ve been interested in government for many years and wanted to be a part of making changes in Avondale. I felt that there were many things that could be improved in town, from our parks, playgrounds and water quality to the transparency of how we govern. Friends and neighbors encouraged me to run for Mayor to make those changes, so I did. 

I wanted to improve our parks and playgrounds, and with grants from Senator Casey and with the help of State Rep. Christina Sappey, Avondale’s first ADA-accessible playground will soon be built. With the support of our whole Borough Council, we are working to make good things happen in Avondale.   

I also wanted to address the quality of our water in Avondale.  Our water is exceptionally hard, and it is costly to residents and businesses. We have submitted a grant and hope to be able to address that soon. I also wanted to make sure that Avondale was transparent and accessible to all residents. We have made all our mailed information bilingual and work to be responsive to all residents. 

The Pennsylvania Avenue bridge is considered an unofficial gateway to the Avondale Borough, but in the past few years, it has experienced significant decay and is badly in need of a replacement. Bring the readers of the Press up to date on its progress.

Since the current Council and I took office, we have been in contact with PennDOT about the bridge. This issue is always listed on our agenda and updates are provided as we get them. 

Additionally, our elected officials, State Rep Sappey, Senator John Kane and the County Commissioners are also keeping informed about the condition of this bridge. It was recently inspected, and we are waiting for the final report.

The good news is that this bridge is now on the TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) list to be addressed in the next few years. PennDOT inspects this bridge every six months and we closely follow the results and continue to regularly advocate for it to be replaced with a prefab bridge that has a wider span so that the stream does not back up there and have walkways for pedestrian safety. PennDOT has not yet determined if this bridge needs to be repaired or replaced, but we will continue to work with our elected officials and PennDOT to keep our residents informed on the process.

Traffic through the Avondale Borough has long been a thorn in the side of its residents as well as its elected officials and planners. Is there a long-term solution, and if so, who will be a part of it? 

We do have a voice, and we advocate for the best possible solutions. We are in conversations with other communities along Route 41 and are willing partners who are open to suggestions but the reality is that it is a state road. PennDOT has a plan for the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue, State Street and First Street that is scheduled for 2026.  

The intersection of Route 41 and Old Baltimore Pike is another intersection that needs to be addressed. We continue to advocate for improvement on the traffic issues. I can say that Avondale Borough Council and I have told PennDOT that we will not permit a roundabout in the borough, which if constructed would allow the center of the town to be demolished. There is no data that says that a roundabout would, in any way, be helpful for traffic. I don’t know the answers, but I do know that Council and I will continue to work with PennDOT and our elected officials to do the best for the community. 

A few years ago, The Garage Community & Youth Center moved from West Grove Borough to Pennsylvania Avenue in Avondale, in a repurposed building. What other signs of fresh thinking are we seeing coming to the borough?

We love having the Garage in the borough. They are such a great asset to the town. We are working to improve our parks and playgrounds so that every child has safe and accessible places to play. Additionally, we have added some great community events -- our Harvest Festival, our Christmas Tree lighting with dancing in the street, the Santa Train, and Bubblepalooza will be back again. 

We love supporting Southern Chester County Regional Police’s National Night Out event in Avondale and are actively working to host more community building events. Our borough is a great place to live and it’s just getting better.

Let’s talk about the borough’s identity. Over the last decade, Oxford, Kennett Square and West Grove boroughs have experienced a rebirth that is reflected in the form of new businesses, cultural activities and beautification. What measures are you and your constituents taking to assure that the Avondale Borough is following in the footsteps of its neighboring boroughs?

We are much smaller than all of the boroughs that you’ve mentioned. We don’t have a downtown or a main street, but while we are small, Avondale is a good place to build a family, a business and a life. 

Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, we are focusing on what do have and what we can do. We have nearly 30 small businesses in our town, and we hope to see them grow and bring new businesses to town, too. Our Council is open to new ideas, and we welcome suggestions and innovation.

This leads us to “Avondale Borough Vision 2030.” What are its key components and how will they be developed?

Avondale Borough Vision 2030 is a work in progress. Council and I are challenging ourselves to build that vision. Council, including what we can do to reduce the flooding that regularly impacts our community. We have members whose passion is to improve our streets and sidewalks, while others are focused on community cleanups and building a network of volunteers, as well as doing great things with our free community garden.  

We all would like to see our business community grow and are working to add some public parking to the borough. Council would love to have residents chime in with thoughts and suggestions.

What is your personal vision for Avondale Borough in 2030?  How do you reimagine its function, its purpose and its mission?  

I see so many great new opportunities in Avondale and I am working to make it happen.  There are so many things that I want for Avondale. So far, I have focused on parks and playgrounds because our children are the future of Avondale. I’ve been working with Council on improving our water quality and getting grants to help our community. 

I’m excited about Avondale’s future and playing a part in it, and I want Avondale to be a healthy, prosperous and welcoming town for all.

To learn more about the Avondale Borough and see a list of upcoming events, visit www.avondaleboro.net.