Woolwich Township opened 35 new acres at Locke Avenue Park on September 8, 2026. Much of what the expansion added is designed to work after sunset. The new softball fields are lit, the multipurpose fields have LED lights, and the mayor described the new trail as solar-lit. Some of the late state funding went to lighting change orders. The first big evening event on the calendar since the ribbon cutting is the township's Annual Holiday Tree Lighting & Fireworks on Saturday, December 5, from 6 to 8 p.m.
What 35 Acres Added, Feature by Feature
The township posted its ribbon-cutting recording on YouTube the day after the ceremony. The video description lists what the project includes.
| Feature | What the township describes |
|---|---|
| Softball fields | Two fields with lights and temporary pitching mounds, so they can host youth baseball games |
| Multipurpose fields | Two more fields with LED lighting for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and other recreation |
| Multiuse trail | A 1.2-mile loop around the property that links to the existing trails and extends toward Raccoon Creek |
| Parking | Four paved parking areas |
| Entrance | A new entrance on Locke Avenue |
| Picnic pavilion | Connected to a restroom building; residents can reserve it for birthday parties and other events |
| Practice areas and open space | Additional practice fields and expanded open space |
Mayor Natalie Matthias and the Township Committee opened the expansion at the new picnic pavilion at 11 a.m. on September 8, as the township's announcement had scheduled. The Township Committee minutes from that day refer to the ribbon cutting as a recent event.
The first two rows of the table add up to four lit fields, and the mayor described the trail as solar-lit. A park whose fields and trail are lit can host practices, games and walks after the workday ends, and in November that comes before 5 p.m.
The Lighting Is Where the Late Money Went
Township meeting records over the fall show the lighting emphasis in the budget too. At its September 21, 2026 meeting, the Township Committee reviewed the expansion's funding through the state's Green Acres program. That included an existing $500,000 Green Acres loan at 2.9% interest and a newly awarded $1 million loan at 0% interest over 25 years. The committee accepted the new loan.
The October 5 minutes explain what the additional $1 million is for. It reimburses change orders on the park for lighting and paving, which frees bond funds for other improvements. The enabling resolution adopted the same night says the two awards bring the township's Green Acres funding for the project to $1.5 million.
Lit fields and paved parking are what let a park host games and gatherings after dark, and the new money covers both.
The Trail That Heads Toward Raccoon Creek
The trail is the part of the expansion most residents can use with no team schedule or reservation. It loops the new acreage for 1.2 miles, connects to the paths already in the park and runs toward Raccoon Creek. During her remarks at the ceremony, which are in the township's video, Mayor Matthias described the trail as lit with solar lights.
The trail is part of a larger plan for Woolwich's three parks. In an April 2026 preview, New Town Press reported that the trail expansion was meant to connect Locke Avenue Park to High Hill Park by footbridge and to add a path into Tranquility Trails. The same article noted that Woolwich holds its organized sports at either Locke Avenue Park or High Hill Park, and that games are open to the public to watch. Those connections were described as planned before the park opened. Linking the parks by trail would let someone walk from the fields off Locke Avenue to the High Hill side without driving.
December 5, From Gingerbread to Fireworks
The township's November–December calendar puts two holiday events on the same Saturday, which makes for a full day.
- 10 a.m. to noon: The Gingerbread House Decorating Party, listed on the township calendar.
- 6 to 8 p.m.: The Annual Holiday Tree Lighting & Fireworks at Locke Avenue Park, 58 Locke Ave. The rain date is Sunday, December 6.
At its October 5 meeting, the Township Committee approved the evening's setup. That includes an 18-foot dry slide, a 13-by-13-foot bounce house, a 6,500-watt generator and event attendants, on a contract totaling $956.10.
The committee also approved the fireworks. D&M Fireworks LLC will put on the display at Locke Avenue Park, with the contract capped at $5,500. Aqua Industries sponsored the display, which according to the resolution means it costs Woolwich taxpayers nothing. The contract is contingent on approval from the Swedesboro/Woolwich Fire Bureau, and the township authorized up to $427 in permit fees for it.
The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on one of the shortest days of the year, so it takes place entirely in the dark. It is the first large township event since the ribbon cutting held at a park that now has lit fields, a lit trail loop and four paved parking areas.
Two Tree Lightings, One Week Apart
Woolwich surrounds Swedesboro, and the two towns hold their holiday events on back-to-back Saturdays. The Swedesboro Annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting is set for Saturday, November 28. The parade starts at 1 p.m. on downtown Kings Highway, and the tree-lighting ceremony follows at 6:30 p.m. at Borough Hall.
That gives the season a simple order:
- Wednesday, November 11, 10 to 11:30 a.m.: Veterans Day Card Writing, listed on the Woolwich Township calendar
- Saturday, November 28: Swedesboro's parade on Kings Highway at 1 p.m. and the Borough Hall tree lighting at 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 5: Gingerbread decorating in the morning, then the Locke Avenue Park tree lighting and fireworks from 6 to 8 p.m.
Swedesboro's tree lighting is a downtown event at Borough Hall. Woolwich's takes place at a park with space for a slide, a bounce house and a fireworks show.
The Pavilion for the Rest of the Year
After December 5, the new picnic pavilion is the feature with the most everyday use for households not playing on a team. It sits next to a restroom building, and residents can reserve it for birthday parties and other gatherings through the Woolwich Township website.
The township is already discussing what could come next. At the September 21 meeting, an all-abilities playground, restroom renovations, a dog park and more volleyball courts came up as possible further improvements. The October 5 minutes describe the $1 million lighting-and-paving reimbursement as freeing bond money for other improvements. Future Township Committee agendas will show which of those ideas get funded.
For now, the expansion includes two lit softball fields, two LED-lit multipurpose fields, a 1.2-mile trail toward Raccoon Creek, four paved parking areas and a reservable pavilion, all at 58 Locke Ave. The township's holiday tree lighting and fireworks run there from 6 to 8 p.m. on December 5.
Our team lives and works in this part of Gloucester County, so we follow park projects like Locke Avenue from the meeting agendas to the ribbon cutting. If you'd like to talk about how new township amenities factor into a move within Woolwich or nearby, Pat Settar and our team are happy to help. Contact Us.
