A section of the Lawrence Township Greenway, between Eggerts Crossing Road and Heritage Park, will be named in honor of former Lawrence Township Councilman Harold Vereen at a special ceremony Aug. 14.
The 11 a.m. dedication ceremony for the Harold Vereen Walkway will be held on the greenway walking path at Eggerts Crossing Road. The path is parallel to Johnson Avenue in the Eggerts Crossing neighborhood.
The paved path is in the roadbed of the former Johnson “fast line” trolley of the Trenton-Princeton Traction Co., which was in operation from 1901-40. The trip from Willow Street in Trenton to Witherspoon Street in Princeton took about 16 minutes.
The one-mile-long walking path is being named for Vereen, who served on the Lawrence Township Council from 1990-93. Vereen, who grew up in the Eggerts Crossing neighborhood, has been active in helping to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.
The Lawrence Township Council recognized Vereen and his contributions in a resolution, authorizing naming a section of the Lawrence Township Greenway in his honor, at its July 20 meeting.
The resolution stated that Vereen “has given of his time, knowledge and energy in his total commitment to Lawrence Township, and more particularly the Eggerts Crossing area, in an effort to improve the quality of life for its residents.”
In addition to his service on the Lawrence Township Council, the resolution noted that Vereen has been active in many civic associations and is currently serving on the Ewing Lawrence Sewerage Authority – all in “furtherance of his desire to help the Lawrence community in general.”
Mayor Jim Kownacki recalled working alongside Vereen and other volunteers to plant flowers along the section of the Lawrence Township Greenway – known informally as the Johnson Trolley Line path – that will be renamed in his honor.
“It took many years to get to this point. I always said you were my mentor. I am honored (to rename the path),” Kownacki told Vereen at the Lawrence Township Council meeting.
The proposal to rename the mile-long stretch was suggested by architect and planner Robin Murray. She worked with Vereen and the Eggerts Crossing Civic League to revitalize the neighborhood.
The path should be named for Vereen because “it symbolizes the very beginning of his efforts on revitalization, has been integral to every phase and stands today as a wonderful asset for the Eggerts Crossing and Lawrence Township communities,” Murray wrote in a 2019 letter to township officials.
Vereen was instrumental in having the old railroad bed filled in to make it level with Johnson Avenue, so it could be useable for commuting or walking, Murray wrote. He was also instrumental in planting lawns on either side of the path, she wrote.
Vereen was also instrumental is the township’s efforts to get a $700,000 grant – plus an additional $200,000 from the township – to bring the former Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center building up to municipal building code standards, Murray wrote. Now known as the Lawrence Community Center, it is located at 295 Eggerts Crossing Road.
Murray also wrote that during Vereen’s term on the Lawrence Township Council, Drift Avenue and Bunker Hill Road were reconstructed, along with storm water management improvements on both streets. They were placed at the top of the list of roads that needed the most repairs.
