Lawrence - Hopewell Trail Corporation

THE LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL CORPORATION, THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS, PROMOTES AND GUIDES THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, USE, AND ENJOYMENT OF A 22-MILE PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE TRAIL LOOP CONNECTING LAWRENCE AND HOPEWELL TOWNSHIPS IN MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, AND ACTIVELY ENCOURAGES CONNECTIONS TO ADJACENT AREAS AND REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORKS TO ENSURE AN ENDURING AMENITY SUPPORTED BY THE PEOPLE IT SERVES.

THE AWARD-WINNING LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL (LHT) IS A 22-MILE, MULTIPURPOSE, MOSTLY OFF-ROAD, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE TRAIL DEVELOPED BY A CITIZEN-LED VOLUNTEER BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IT IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE HEALTH AND FITNESS,ENJOYMENT OF THE OUTDOORS, AND ACCESS TO PRESERVED OPEN SPACE WHILE LINKING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTATION, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY. THE LHT'S PRIMARY PROGRAMMATIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE: (1) MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIL THAT TRAVERSES CORPORATE CAMPUSES, A PRIVATE SCHOOL, PRESERVED OPEN SPACE, PARKS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND A MAIN STREET. THIS REQUIRES ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH MULTIPLE LANDOWNERS; DESIGNING SEGMENTS THAT MEET ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS; RAISING FUNDS FOR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE NONPROFIT CORPORATION; AND COORDINATING EFFORTS WITH LOCAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS. AS OF 2022, 95% OF THE TRAIL HAS BEEN COMPLETED. PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE FUNDING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE REMAINDER. WHAT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS THE FACT THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, OVER 17 MILLION HAS BEEN RAISED FOR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION OVER THE YEARS. IN THE SECOND CATEGORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE USE OF THE TRAIL THROUGH PUBLICITY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THE SPONSORSHIP OF COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION TO CREATING THE MONTHLY SATURDAY MORNING WALKING CLUB, THE LHT HOLDS TWO ANNUAL SIGNATURE EVENTS. THE FIRST IS THE LHT FULL MOON BIKE RIDE JOINTLY SPONSORED BY THE MERCER COUNTY PARK COMMISSION. THE SECOND EVENT, TRAIL AND TREAT, A FUN AFTERNOON FOR CHILDREN AND THEIRIR FAMILIES. IN 2019 THE LHT ARTWALK WAS INTRODUCED. THIS PROGRAM COUPLES TRAIL FANS WITH A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST WHO TEACHES TECHNIQUES FOR CAPTURING NATURE ON PAPER, CANVAS OR FILM. AS A RESULT OF THE LHT'S EFFORTS AND EXTENSIVE WORD-OF-MOUTH, THE TRAIL IS ENJOYED BY MORE THAN 400,000 WALKERS, JOGGERS, BIKERS, SNOWSHOERS AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS EACH YEAR AND THE NUMBER IS GROWING. THE THIRD CATEGORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT INCLUDES TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT THROUGH THE ADDITION OF ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE AND AMENITIES SUCH AS BENCHES AND KIOSKS. THE LHT SERVES AS A MODEL FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND A RESOURCE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WANT TO EMULATE THE UNIQUE SUCCESS OF THE LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL.