(Cherry Hill is initiating a project to develop walking trails in the Colwick section of the township, thanks to a $25,000 open space grant from Camden County.

The township will be securing an engineering firm to develop a master plan for the project, and work on the trails themselves will hopefully begin in the spring, according to Jim Wioland, Township Director of Recreation.

“We thought it would be a good way to get people back to nature. It’s a wonderful natural setting that we want the community to enjoy,” said Wioland, who noted there are already some informal trails in Colwick’s open space areas that the Township wants to join together into a cohesive network.

Lewis E. Gorman III, Chairman of the Cherry Hill Environmental Advisory Committee (CHEAC) initially suggested developing the walking trails in the Colwick section, Wioland said. Once the plans are in place, he added, the township will need help from volunteer groups, such as Boy Scout troops, residents, and CHEAC, to help with the construction of the trails.

"We are very fortunate to have such wonderful natural resources here in Cherry Hill,” said Mayor Bernie Platt, adding, “Creating trails throughout the township, like we are preparing to do in the Colwick section, lets residents easily enjoy the beauty and serenity of these open spaces, and keeps us all connected with the nature surrounding us."