Friends of the Wissahickon's new executive director wants to build the first permanent restroom near the Northwestern Avenue trailhead at the Whitemarsh-Philadelphia border, one of three priorities she outlined after a six-month listening tour. No funding or construction timeline has been announced.

Sara Stevenson, who started as FOW's executive director on January 12, laid out her agenda in a report published Saturday, July 19, through The Times Herald. She identified three restroom projects as top priorities: renovating the Valley Green restrooms, restoring full plumbing at the Rex Avenue restroom, and constructing a new facility near the Northwestern entrance. All three lack confirmed budgets or schedules.

Restrooms were the most common concern visitors raised during Stevenson's listening tour, according to FOW.

Who is Stevenson

Stevenson came to FOW from the Awbury Arboretum in Philadelphia, where she held the same role. She has more than 15 years of experience in public gardens, conservation, and nonprofit management, according to FOW. Board President Garrett Trego said the organization conducted an extensive search before selecting her.

"I came in ready to run, and I feel like everyone's been throwing down planks in front of me so I could," Stevenson said in the July 19 report.

She spent her first six months in extensive conversations with staff, donors, volunteers, and trail users, absorbing their concerns before setting direction. She was photographed pitching in at a spring cleanup on Lincoln Drive earlier this year.

Better wayfinding, broader welcome

Stevenson's second priority is navigation and equity. She wants clear wayfinding signage so hikers can find their way back, reliable access to help if they get lost, and programming that draws visitors from all backgrounds. FOW released a redesigned park map in 2025, its first major update in nearly a decade.

Beech leaf disease and ecological stewardship

The third priority is ecological health. Stevenson called beech leaf disease an urgent forest threat and pointed to watershed impacts from nearby development. She stressed the need for proactive habitat resilience and sustainable trail maintenance.

FOW is also working toward a permanent endowment to fund future conservation, though no dollar target or timeline has been set. Treasurer Larry Salva noted that the organization's financial resources have grown enough to apply for and execute millions of dollars in grant-funded projects. The $3.5 million Valley Green Run Restoration and Lida Way Pedestrian Bridge, FOW's largest capital project to date, won both the 2025 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence and the 2026 ACEC Pennsylvania Diamond Award.

By the numbers

In 2025, FOW's 2,000-plus volunteers logged more than 16,000 hours, removed 27,880 pounds of litter, improved 42 miles of trails, planted 550 native trees and shrubs, cleared invasive plants from the equivalent of five football fields, and led 50 public hikes, according to FOW's year-end report in the Chestnut Hill Local.

FOW is the official park partner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and stewards the 1,800-acre Wissahickon Valley Park. Residents who want to learn more about volunteer opportunities or trail programs can visit fow.org.