Council eyes new park

As part of the plan, the township also has agreed to make improvements to an existing playground next to the parcel

By: Lea Kahn
   The Eldridge Park and Eggerts Crossing neighborhoods have lengthy histories that are often overlooked by many neighborhood and township residents.
   But that will change, if Lawrence Township and Lawrence Non-Profit Housing, Inc., have their way. There are plans in the works to create a "heritage park" to honor the early residents of the neighborhood.
   Heritage Park is proposed for a wooded 10.8-acre parcel of land next to the Eggerts Crossing Village affordable rental complex, off Johnson Avenue. The land belongs to Lawrence Non-Profit Housing, Inc., which owns the rental development.
   Township Council approved an ordinance at its Sept. 4 meeting that allows it to lease the land from Lawrence Non-Profit Housing, Inc. for $1 per year for 20 years. As part of the plan, the township also has agreed to make improvements to an existing playground next to the parcel.
   Mayor Pam Mount has endorsed the idea of the proposed Heritage Park, and the township’s takeover of the Eggerts Crossing Village playground so that it could be improved.
   "It all started with the playground," said Peggy Huchet, president of the board of directors of Lawrence Non-Profit Housing. "The playground is badly in need of repair or replacement."
   The board thought that the township might replace the playground. Board member Al Lane suggested expanding the concept of the playground to include a park that would honor the heritage of the neighborhood.
   Mr. Lane said he began thinking about the playground and the park around the time of Martin Luther King’s birthday. He recalled that there are two areas in the township that have historically been home to the black community — Lewisville Road and Eggerts Crossing.
   And that is when the idea occurred to Mr. Lane to create a park to honor the heritage of the neighborhood. He said he thought it was important to come up with something meaningful for the proposed park, or else it would become just another park.
   "It could become a rather unique park," Mr. Lane said. "Visitors could come from far and wide to see what the people in Lawrence have done. I happen to feel strongly about community. The more love and understanding we have, the better off we will be."
   Meanwhile, the board wants to gather the history of the Eldridge Park and Eggerts Crossing neighborhoods and its residents — most of whom are members of minority groups, Mrs. Huchet said. Some of that information could be gathered through oral histories of the residents conducted by students, she said.
   "We want to know who moved into the neighborhood, when did they move in, what brought them here, what did they do and what did they contribute. Some families have lived here for a very long time," she said.
   Planning for the park is in the earliest stages, Mrs. Huchet said. Displays or plaques outlining the history of the neighborhood and important events could be set up along a walking path through the woods, for example, she said.