The Anne Demarais Nature Center, formerly known as the Lawrence Nature Center, is in line for some improvements.
The Lawrence Township Council awarded a contract for $86,095 to Sunset Creations for improvements to the nature center at 481 Drexel Ave. Sunset Creations was one of eight bidders for the job.
The project calls for removing the existing brick patio and installing brick pavers. A masonry seating wall, an accessible ramp to the rear deck, and handrails and guiderails are also part of the improvements.
An earlier round of bids was rejected because they exceeded the municipal engineer’s estimate for the work. The lowest responsible bidder had submitted a bid of $300,368, which led to the decision to rebid the project.
The work is expected to be completed in October.
The Anne Demarais Nature Center sits on 45 acres of preserved land at the end of Drexel Avenue in the southern part of the township. There are walking trails, a stream, a forest and a meadow. It is anchored by the community nature center building.
Lawrence Township purchased 37 acres of land at the end of Drexel Avenue in 1998 for open space preservation. Known as the Drexel Avenue Woods, it was one of the last remaining wooded parcels in southern Lawrence Township and had been slated for residential development.
A short time later, Lawrence Township purchased a brick ranch house – known informally as the Rinck House, after the couple who built it – next to Drexel Woods. The house became the centerpiece and headquarters of the Lawrence Nature Center.
The Rinck House was built by Carl and Lucille Rinck on nine acres of land next to Drexel Woods in 1941, township officials said. Carl worked for Trenton Pottery, and the couple used recycled bricks from the pottery to build the house.
Lucille continued to live in the house after her husband died. She invited children to explore the meadow and learn about the birds and other wildlife. Lawrence Township bought the house and land after her death.
The Lawrence Nature Center was renamed in honor of Anne Demarais in 2023. She died in August.
Demarais was a former president of the Friends of the Lawrence Nature Center. She was instrumental in open space preservation efforts and trail creation, including the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail that links the two townships.
