Local Girl Scout seeks borough approval for accessible picnic table at Narberth snack shop

Sophia Lowry, a junior at Lorraine High School and a Girl Scout from Troop 27031, asked the Narberth Borough Council on Dec. 18 for permission to upgrade the borough snack shop and add an ADA-accessible picnic table. Her Gold Award proposal included a concrete pad next to the sidewalk, interior improvements (paint, shelving, counters), healthier snack options and a proposed timeline and budget.

Sophia provided itemized cost estimates: picnic supplies roughly $200, a concrete pad estimated at $60 (final cost to be verified by a contractor/engineer), paint supplies $800–$1,000, shelving about $500 and signage roughly $100. She said she will seek Girl Scout Gold Award approval from Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania and plans community fundraising and volunteer labor from local troops and youth sports leagues.

Council and staff response
Public-works staff and the borough manager expressed support for the concept but asked Sophia to coordinate final pad siting with the borough engineer and the public-works director because roots and drainage near the proposed site could affect the pad location. Council members noted that the basketball league runs the snack booth and must agree to any interior changes or menu adjustments. The presiding officer summarized next steps: Sophia should confirm stakeholder approval (basketball league and other users), record engineering approvals for the pad, and include those confirmations in her Girl Scout Gold Award submission.

Quote
"By enhancing the inside of the snack shop and adding a picnic accessible table will make the community even better," Sophia Lowry said during her presentation.

What comes next
Sophia will work with borough staff to finalize pad placement and to confirm the basketball league’s consent for interior work; she must also secure her Girl Scout council approval before construction begins. Staff indicated the borough can support paint and cosmetic changes more quickly than any structural or ADA-triggering alterations that would require capital funding and engineering review.