By Leah Kahn, Staff Writer
LAWRENCE — The sign that marks the entrance to Heritage Park, at the end of Johnson Avenue, is missing some of its letters. And the greenway path along Johnson Avenue that leads to the park also could use some sprucing up.
Those were some of the issues that were brought to Township Council’s attention last week by a representative of the Eggerts Crossing Civic League, who made a request for more attention to be paid to the neighborhood.
The residents of Eggerts Crossing believe that as taxpayers, Lawrence Township is obligated to maintain the area, Kelly Ganges told Township Council at its April 5 meeting. He spoke on behalf of the Eggerts Crossing Civic League. Behind him sat more than a dozen neighborhood residents.
The Eggerts Crossing Civic League has tried to maintain the area, Mr. Ganges said, because the residents want to be proud of the entrance to their neighborhood. But it has not been maintained, he said, adding that it speaks to the character of the community.
“We do not embrace a shabby-looking entrance to the neighborhood,” Mr. Ganges said.
Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun replied that the township has maintained the greenway, which is in the right-of-way of the former Johnson Trolley Line. He pointed out that the Department of Public Works has eight employees — including the supervisor and an employee whose job is to empty trash containers — in the Parks Division. They are responsible for taking care of 1,000 acres of parkland.
Mr. Krawczun said the township had replaced playground equipment at the Lawrence Community Center at 295 Eggerts Crossing Road several years ago. Work has been done on the basketball court and on the entrance to Heritage Park.
The township is working to repair the sign to Heritage Park, and some outside contractors have been hired to mow the grass, Mr. Krawczun said. The township will undertake a spring cleanup of Gilpin Park, which is located off Johnson Avenue.
It is the township’s full intention to perform maintenance, “but it may not be done to everyone’s satisfaction,” the municipal manager said. He added that bid specifications for outside contractors may need to be re-written, and noted that the 2016 municipal budget has not been adopted.
Mr. Ganges said the residents understand the budget has to be adopted, and urged township officials to make certain the neighborhood’s needs are “embodied” in the budget.
“This is Lobby Day,” Mr. Ganges said. “We are here to lobby you for things that are important to our community. We are not here asking for a ‘freebie.’ We are taxpayers, and we want our community to look as presentable as any other community.”
