November 23, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Historical Society director steps down
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Ellen Grady, president of the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, stands with George Lyons, who ended his post as executive director of the society on Nov. 17. The Wyndmoor resident insisted he would still be around. (Photo by Kristin Pazulski)

George Lyons, executive director of the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, moved around the society’s exhibit room last Friday, chatting with new neighbors to Chestnut Hill who had been invited in for a few hours of hors d’oeuvres and socializing.

The event was Lyons’ last appearance as executive director and a fitting one, according to Shirley Hanson, secretary of the CHHS board.

“He was extraordinarily active in getting acquainted with individuals and community groups in the neighborhood,” she said.

Lyons has been the society’s executive director for about a year-and-a-half. During that time, according to many of the society’s board members, Lyons proved himself to be an energetic enthusiast for preservation, clearly a valued commitment in a town rich in preservation opportunities.

“We’re disappointed he’s leaving us,” said Ellen Grady, board president. “He’s very energetic and just a lovely, positive person.”

Patricia Cove, the society’s past president, also praised Lyons.

“I think one of the most positive things about George was his overall enthusiasm for the job, and he brought a lot of enthusiasm to it,” she said.

Cove and board member Meredith Sonderskov both praised his knowledge of preservation and said out of all his projects, the most memorable were his workshops on how to preserve an old historical house.

“I thought those were terrific,” Sonderskov said. “He was very pleasant to work with, very knowledgeable about old houses and how to preserve them.”

Lyons said he now plans to steer his preservation passion towards his own home, a 1923 house on Willow Grove Avenue.

The Lyons’ name is second on the deed for the house, which he and his wife bought about a year-and-a-half ago. Lyons said the fact that the house has had one previous owner to him is both “good and bad.”

“A lot of things haven’t been changed, but then, again, a lot of things haven’t been changed,” he said, implying that there is a lot of work to be done to improve the condition of the house, but, at the same time, some of the original beauty remains intact.

Lyons said working on the house, a “much-needed break” and spending more time with his wife, are the reasons for his leaving the CHHS position.

“We found ourselves so busy that when we did spend time together, we were just exhausted,” Lyons said.

Since he lives down the street, he said that he does not plan on leaving the society behind. There are programs that he helped initiate that he will still take part in, and he will help the new executive director — when one is found — through the transition period.

In the interim, Peter Lapham, a former executive director of the society, will serve.

Grady said the search will be undertaken from a national pool, but indicated that the board would prefer to find someone who knows the community well. She said she expected the search to take a few months, with the hope that a new director will be in place by February or March.

“Lyons came in with a lot of enthusiasm and great ideas that really reinvigorated the organization,” said Christopher Lane, board vice president.

And Lyons is hopeful that under a new director, the society will continue to grow and energize.

“Anytime there’s change in an organization such as this, there’s the chance to reinvent itself,” Lyons said.

And as a former executive director and a neighbor, he will forever remain a part of that.

Contact staff writer Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or Kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.