Celebrating at the Nov. 17 ribbon-cutting cermony are: front row from left (children) Vienna Latini, Andrew Young and Jenna Young; second row: LHT Co-President Becky Taylor, Lawrence Township Mayor Cathleen Lewis, former Lawrence Township Councilman Robert Bostock; BMS Corporate Communications Director Fred Egenolf, LHT Board Member Lindsey Bohra; back row: Hopewell Township Deputy Mayor and LHT Board Member Allen Cannon; LHT Board Member Pete Kramer; former Lawrence Township Mayor and former LHT Board Member Pam Mount; Lawrence Township Councilman Michael Powers and his wife, Nancy, and LHT Co-President Eleanor Horne.
Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) board members, joined by former Lawrence Township Councilman Robert Bostock and other dignitaries and guests, celebrated the opening of a new segment of the Trail at an official ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 17.
The cleanup of a ten-acre portion of the Dyson Tract was made possible by Bostock’s success in securing a major grant from the N.J. Economic Development Authority to remove dredge spoils at the former Dyson Farm. Bostock learned of the dredge spoils in late 2006 and immediately became involved. When running for township council the following year, he pledged to clean up the Tract, if elected.
“I was really gratified that the cleanup of the dredged materials on the site allowed the LHT to be routed through – rather than around – such a beautiful piece of land. Riding or walking on the trail enables you to get in touch with nature in a really surprising way, given the hustle and bustle of Route 1 just a stone’s throw away,” said Bostock.
The $2.9 million project was funded through a $2.053 million EDA grant and $643,000 from Lawrence Township. Bristol-Myers Squibb provided $200,000 for trail construction and pedestrian safety improvements at Princeton Pike and Foxcroft Drive.
“We were thrilled with Bob’s advocacy and the Lawrence Township Council’s support for the cleanup and their enthusiasm and support of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail,” said LHT Co-president Eleanor Horne. She noted that instead of constructing the trail around the field, the removal of more than 60,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil cleared the way for the LHT to run the trail through the field and for a 20-car parking lot to be built.
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