Public Meeting to Address Future of Quarry Site

Public Meeting to Address Future of Quarry Site

In spring of 2023, Moores estate market analysts have potential,” he said. “UnforStation Quarry off Route been put together to assist tunately, you’re always go29 in Hopewell Township in the process. ing to get advocacy groups will cease operations after The site has some rela- claiming that only certain more than a century. The tively level areas. There are activities need to occur site, which is more than also steep rock walls, haul there. But this is not a natu200 feet deep and 2,000 roads, and two small ponds. ral area. We have every infeet across, has been des- The quarry is next to the Ted tention of taking advantage ignated for transformation Stiles Preserve at Baldpate of what is there, making sure into a park. Mountain. Jeff Tittel, direc- the habitat is appropriate for

Just how that park should tor of the New Jersey Si- birds and wildlife. It is early be created is the subject of erra Club, wants the site to in the process, though.” a public meeting being held be turned into open space Mercer County Superinvia Zoom on Wednesday, rather than a place for active tendent of Parks Anthony December 2 at 7 p.m. Addi- recreation. Cucchi, who will be leadtional meetings will be held “The Sierra Club and oth- ing the team of consultants, in February, May, and Octo- ers have fought countless commented, “There is very ber, 2021. battles to protect Baldpate little that’s natural about

“This will probably be the Mountain,” he said in a the site. There is no soil or most exciting project we’ve press release. “We stopped vegetation. The consultants ever undertaken,” said Aar- projects like ball and soc- are guiding us through an on Watson, executive direc- cer fields, as well as a new analysis to see what could be tor of the Mercer County entrance that would have restored, and how to bring Park Commission. “We want been like a highway going some of it back to wildlife to figure out how to do it up the mountain. That is habitat.” right, which is why we’re why it is critical that this The plan has been to make having a master plan. We quarry park has to be com- the site into a public space want to hear public input.” patible with the goals of the since Mercer County, the

Back in the 1800s, mate- park. It needs to be for pas- New Jersey Green Acres rials from the quarry were sive recreation, with trees, Program, and Hopewell moved by barge on the Dela- meadows, and wetlands. Township jointly purchased ware and Raritan Canal, and They should not use this more than 1,000 acres of then later, via railroad. To- park as an excuse for these land, including the quarry day, trucks transport materi- active recreation amenities property, to create a county als from the Titusville site. or facilities. This quarry park at Baldpate Mountain. A 25-year agreement with should have been shut down The land sale allowed the Trap Rock Industries, which a long time ago. Now that it quarry operator to continhas been operating the quar- is finally being turned into ue mining on a portion of ry, will expire in 2023. At a park, it cannot be priva- the land for 25 years after that point, the Park Com- tized. Too many people have the transfer. That right exmission will take posses- fought too hard for too long pires in the spring of 2023, sion and begin the multi- to save this area to lose it at which time the Mercer year process of turning the now to profiteers.” County Park Commission open-pit quarry into a park. Watson said that the will take possession. Creating a master plan is quarry has created an un- Turning the site into a the first step. A multi-dis- natural landscape, but park is a multi-year process, ciplinary team of landscape there is an opportunity to but portions might be ready architects, geologists, en- reclaim a portion of it for for use by county residents gineers, ecologists, wildlife open space. The question is soon after the transfer takes biologists, architects, sus- how much. “The beauty of place. “That’s why we’re dotainability experts, and real it is that there is such great ing the master plan,” said

PLANNING A TRANSFORMATION: The Moores Station Quarry off Route 29 in Hopewell Township is ceasing operations and will eventually be turned into a park. The public can comment on how a master plan should be developed at an open meeting early next month.

Watson. “So people can enjoy some of it soon after we take ownership. We don’t want to wait until the last minute. We want to get this going and work closely with Trap Rock.”

Tittel of the Sierra Club said that an arboretum could be put into the quarry pit, and restoring wetlands and riparian corridors could also be part of the plan. “It is important for the people to come out to the meeting and demand that the area is fully restored,” he said. “If done properly, this park will be a critical part of restoring and preserving the wild spaces of Baldpate Mountain.”

For a link to the virtual meeting, visit mercercountyparks.org.

—Anne Levin

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