5 Things: October 19

1. Want to hear how roughly 8 percent of Horsham will be redeveloped? Come to tonight’s Horsham Land Reuse Authority meeting at the at 7 p.m.

2. For the first time since the redevelopment process for roughly 860 acres of began more than five years ago, the HLRA board will meet with its subcommittees, Horsham Township Council and Horsham Planning Commission to hash out a preferred reuse plan. Here’s a look at the – which could be tweaked and/or blended.

3. While the community and the HLRA vehemently opposed an airport (and completely ) the current federal property, for 16 years, was considered the birthplace of early aviation. From 1926 through 1942, aviator Harold F. Pitcairn designed, constructed, tested and flew various aircraft at the former farm field.

4. Even though the sprawling former air base has “Willow Grove” in its name, the 1,100-acre property is located solely in Horsham Township.

5. Throughout the military’s use of the property – from January 1943 through Sept. 15, 2011 - air shows were a fixture for the local community. In 1976, to commemorate the country’s bicentennial, the installation held one of its largest shows, according to a program distributed at the air base’s . All three aviation headliners - U.S. Navy Blue Angels, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds – participated to mark the momentous occasion.