Spring arrived last week, bringing renewed optimism after twochallenging years. I encourage all to get outside and enjoy our wonderful Voorhees parks system.

Connolly Park, located on Centennial Blvd., is a 49-acre oasis.  Acquired by the Township in 2001, it contains two dog runs,one for large dogs and one for small dogs, a half-mile lighted walking and jogging track that includes workout stations, a large grass field for multi-sport usage, a cricket pitch with synthetic turf, an open-air picnic pavilion adjacent to the playground with picnic tables and a tot-lot. Connolly Park is also the home to our Summer Concert Series and National Night Out.

Lions Lake Park is located on Dutchtown Road off of Route 73and has a community banquet facility.  The park will be the site of our Annual Spring Egg Hunt on April 9 at 11am. There is a playground with an adjacent open-air pavilion with picnic tables.  It is also home to the Voorhees Girls Softball Association, with four fields which are fully lit. New dugout enclosures were added to all four fields.

Kirkwood Park, located along Laurel Oak Road behind the Holiday Inn Express, has a lighted softball field, paved walking path, three full basketball courts which were recently resurfaced,a children’s playground, a multi-purpose field, two bocce ball courts, picnic tables and restrooms. The Township also permanently preserved the adjacent 14-acre Kirkwood Forest, enhancing and ensuring the beauty of this natural setting.

The Maiaroto Sports Complex, located on Echelon Road, is home to the Voorhees Soccer Association and host to the Annual Memorial Day Soccer Tournament, one of the largest in the country.  The complex includes seven fields, including one with artificial turf, and recently expanded and improved the lighting.  It also offers two tennis courts and a full basketball court, as well as a fully operational snack bar with restrooms.

Home to the Gibbsboro Voorhees Athletic Association (GVAA) is the Rabinowitz Baseball Complex, located along KressonRoad, with six fenced baseball fields. “Sprinturf Diamonds” have been installed on the Babe Ruth and Majors fields.  Three of the fields are fully lit.  The complex also includes a children’s playground with swings as well as a snack bar and restrooms.

Eastern Junior Vikings Football and Cheer, as well as Voorhees Lacrosse Inc., use the Giangiulio Recreation Complex located along Victor Blvd. The complex includes a lighted athletic fieldwith synthetic turf which is used year-round. In addition, there is a baseball field with lights and a newly upgraded fenced tot lot thanks to a county grant.  Giangiulio also includes a snack bar and restrooms.

John Hale, Sr. Memorial Park is at the site of the former Voorhees Township Department of Public Works sewer plant on West End Avenue in the Ashland section of town.  In partnership with the Ashland Residential Coalition (ARC) and with a grant from the Camden County Open Space Advisory Board, a playground with swings and a picnic pavilion were installed. This park connects to Ashland Woods, a 20-acre tract of forest permanently preserved by the Township.

The historic 140-acre Stafford Farm was acquired by Voorhees Township in 2004, in partnership with the County and State. Half of the property will always be preserved as open space. The other half is permanently preserved for agricultural/farming use. In March 2021, the agricultural portion was purchased by Bill Green who has invested significant funds to improve the site.  He is also planning a vineyard and winery to be enjoyed by our community.

The Township maintains neighborhood playgrounds on Round Hill Road, Elliot Playground on Elliot Drive in the Beagle Club, Sandpiper Playground on Willowbrook Way in the Avian Section, Cornell Drive Playground in Lake Villa and in the Green Ridge neighborhood where last year the tennis court was striped to include use as a pickle ball court. Voorhees also maintains two half-court basketball courts at the Sheppard Road Basketball Park located off of Centennial Blvd.

The Township Committee will continue to work to improve our park system.  All of our parks are smoke free and maintained without the use of pesticides.

*The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club is holding a shredding event on May 7 from 9am to noon at Tab Shredding, 341 Cooper Rd. West Berlin. The cost is $30 for up to 3bags/boxes plus $10 for each additional bag/box up to 10. All proceeds will go to charity.