Rosedale Park is set for major improvements following the announcement of more than $1 million in Green Acres funding directed to Mercer County projects, state officials announced this week.
As part of a statewide $131 million Green Acres funding package, Mercer County will receive a $938,000 grant to build a Completely Inclusive Playground at Rosedale Park, located in Hopewell Township, at 424 Federal City Road. The new playground will feature specialized equipment including accessible swings, sensory panels, musical chimes, and various climbers, along with ADA-compliant walking paths, resilient safety surfacing, shade structures, and restroom upgrades.
Additionally, the county secured a $105,000 stewardship grant for a Rosedale Lake Restoration and Enhancement project. Planned improvements include shoreline stabilization, wetland restoration, vegetative buffer installation, invasive species management, a floating wetland island, and habitat enhancements. The project aims to combat erosion, improve water filtration, address nutrient runoff contributing to harmful algal blooms (HABs), and restore ecological balance around the lake. Rosedale Lake has suffered from HABs over the past few summers and some measures are already in place including floating wetlands created in partnership with The Watershed Institute.
“I was thrilled to learn that over $3 million in Green Acres Funding will be directed to projects in Mercer County,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m especially excited that we’re receiving nearly $1 million allocated under Jake’s Law, which I co-sponsored in the State Assembly, to build a Completely Inclusive Playground.”
Benson added, “The new playground will be fully ADA accessible and will support sensory play and community engagement for children and parents or caretakers of all abilities. Every child, regardless of disability, deserves the joy that comes from spending time at the playground with friends and family, and we expect the new Rosedale Park playground to become a valued destination for families across the County.”
The Green Acres funding was announced by Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette as part of New Jersey’s Earth Week celebrations. According to the NJDEP, this year’s funding package is one of the largest in Green Acres program history.
“Green Acres projects are among the most important we undertake because they ensure that every New Jersey community has access to quality parks, recreation facilities and opportunities,” Governor Murphy said in the announcement.
The Green Acres program, created in 1961, supports open space preservation, park development, and environmental stewardship projects across the state. This year’s awards include funding for 140 projects in all 21 counties, including land preservation, playground construction, waterfront access improvements, and urban park upgrades.
In addition to Mercer County’s grants for Rosedale Park, the City of Trenton received a $2 million grant for continued development at Assunpink Greenway Park and a $750,000 grant for a Completely Inclusive Playground at Franklin Park.
