HOPEWELL: Twin Pines recreational use begins

They’re fine for practice by local youth soccer and lacrosse leagues now

By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
   For much of the 20th century, the land was home to an old-time-looking airport with an all-grass landing strip. Now, after joint purchase of the property by Mercer County and Hopewell and Lawrence townships, the site is being put to recreational use.
   Three full-size multipurpose recreational fields have been staked out at the Twin Pines tract, Hopewell Township Recreation Director Judy Niederer said Friday.
   The tract, which bears the name of the airport that once was there, is off Pennington-Lawrenceville and Federal City roads in southeastern Hopewell Township.
   Ms. Niederer said the new fields need more work before they’ll be suitable for game use, but they’re fine for practice by local youth soccer and lacrosse leagues now and are being used that way.
   Goal posts have been set up and Ms. Niederer said by spring the township hopes to seek bids to install synthetic turf on one of the fields.
   ”Turf drains quickly. A turf field can basically be used all the time, unless there’s thunder and lightning,” Ms. Niederer said. Natural grass fields must be used on a much more limited basis than turf fields, she said. “After a very heavy rain, a grass field may have to drain for two or three days before it can be used again,” she said.
   Municipal and recreational officials have been saying for years that there is an acute shortage of athletic fields in Hopewell Valley. Those officials have added that, because of their nearly unlimited potential for use, turf fields could go a long way toward alleviating that shortage.
   The Twin Pines Airport was purchased for $2,447,500. The county picked up one-half the cost. Hopewell and Lawrence townships paid one-fourth each.