Cranbury Township: Mayor's Update - September 9, 2022

Mayor Barbara Rogers

Greetings! I hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend which marked the unofficial end of summer for many. The days may be getting shorter and the nights longer, but it’s a perfect time for another favorite town-wide event as we celebrate Cranbury’s 325th anniversary -- Cranbury Day, September 10th! Vendors, restaurants, and township commissions and boards will set up tables with information, giveaways, and items to sell. Stop by the Township Committee table to say hello and to sign a scroll that will be placed in a new time capsule to greet the residents of Cranbury in 2047 —  twenty five years from now!

Did you know?

- With the nice weather, it is wonderful to see so many people outside walking and using the sidewalks in town. To keep Cranbury walkable and protect the health and safety of our residents, ordinances are in place to permit easy passage on the sidewalks. Shrubs, bushes, tree branches and other vegetation adjacent to sidewalks need to be trimmed and maintained by property owners. Visit the Township website and learn more about these property maintenance regulations found in the “Code Book”.

- Starting September 12th, Cranbury Township Committee meetings will be in-person.  Attend live at Town Hall or watch via livestream on YouTube. If you attend via livestream, send your public comments to the Township Clerk by 3:00 pm the day of the meeting.

- A groundbreaking ceremony occurred in August at The Regency, the new 55-and-over development located on Dey Road. Construction has begun on the models and the sales office will open in the early Fall.

- Two new businesses have signed leases in our downtown area. One will be a coffee shop on N. Main Street and the other will be located on Park Place, specializing in eyebrows and personal care.  

- The NJDEP has issued a drought watch. This is the second level of four water supply status stages.  Residents are being asked to voluntarily conserve water both inside and outside. Why not conserve water and save money, too? Find tips on the NJDEP website to conserve water .

- A meeting between Middlesex County and Cranbury Township was held to discuss Cranbury’s Bicycle Network Plan recommendations. We discussed how the implementation of the Cranbury bike plan aligns with Middlesex County’s Destination 2040 Strategic Plan. This is exciting news since Cranbury has many County roads and will need County approvals to move forward.

- School is back in session! Drivers, please keep alert for children walking and biking to school and entering and exiting buses. Please be ready to stop at crosswalks for pedestrians, be patient, drive carefully, and obey all speed limits!

- Cranbury School District invites all residents to visit the referendum projects webpage on the their website. It features details about each project such as timelines for the design, bidding and construction of the projects and a running list of frequently asked questions. Full STEAM ahead!

Mark your calendars!

- A reminder that the Senior Center in the Town Hall building is open! Meet other seniors at the Town Hall for lunch (Sept. 23) and other upcoming events. Starting in October, lunches will be offered twice a month. The Recreation Department requests that all patrons of the Cranbury Senior Center fill out a registration form annually. Request a form at the Town Hall window or go to the Township website.

- The Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society has opened an exhibit at the Gourgaud Gallery, “Not to Be Forgotten: Some of the People Who Helped to Make Cranbury What It is Today”. Come and learn about some of Cranbury’s notable citizens from the past! The gallery is in Town Hall and open M-F, 9am- 3pm.

- Art in the Park at Heritage Park, Sunday, September 18th, 1-3pm. The Parks Commission invites residents to share their talents at this fun event to celebrate Cranbury’s 325th Anniversary and the installation of the new kinetic wind sculptures at Heritage Park!

- Dinner and Dancing! Please join the Cranbury Lions Club in celebrating its 90th Anniversary on September 24th, 6-9pm at the Cranbury Inn. The Lions will be awarding Audrey Smith the Community Service Award and Barbara Adams the Excellence in Teaching Award for their many years of service to Cranbury. Please RSVP by September 9th and join in the celebration!  You do not need to be a Lions Club member to attend, but they always welcome new members! Visit the Lions Club website or email Phyllis Johnson at [email protected] for details

- See the new Cranbury Public Library!  On Cranbury Day, the library staff and board members invite you to take a stroll up to the new library building at 30 Park Place. You can see in person how much progress has been made in its construction, play some Frisbee, and get instructions on how to take part in the time capsule to be stored in the library’s new Historical Archive. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the library’s Grand Opening, November 19th! There will be a full day of fun activities and speakers.

I look forward to seeing you at Cranbury Day and around town!

Barbara Rogers, Mayor