State Funding To Offset Purchase Cost Of Former New Hope Quarry

Solebury Township has been awarded an $800,000 state grant to offset the purchase of the former New Hope Crushed Stone and Lime Quarry.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) grant will reduce the township’s net acquisition cost for the 166-acre property to less than $500,000.

The total purchase price for the site at 6970 Phillips Mill Road was $3.2 million and was funded through $2.4 million from the township and more than $1 million from the Solebury School last year. The property’s appraised value was $3.66 million.

The township acquired the land, which includes a 70-acre lake, through a public-private partnership with the Solebury School.

Under the agreement between the township and private school, the school receives non-exclusive access to potential hiking trails and future access to the lake for water sports.

Township officials plan to repurpose an existing structure on the property as a public works storage facility. The use is expected to save the township approximately $350,000 in construction costs.

“This grant helps turn what was a nuisance in Solebury Township into a protected lake and future public park that will preserve open space, safeguard water resources, and provide lasting recreational and public safety benefits,” State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat, said in a statement.

The quarry closed in 2019 following years of neighbor complaints and state mitigation efforts due to sinkholes and other environmental issues.

The township is currently developing long-term plans for the site.

Officials said the initial uses will include a Central Bucks EMS station, a training site for the Bucks County dive team, and the installation of a dry hydrant for local fire departments.

Future planning for the quarry site will incorporate public access and additional conservation efforts.

“The Solebury Quarry project is a remarkable example of vision and dedication in local planning and government,” said State Rep. Tim Brennan, a Democrat. “What had been a long-standing challenge will now be a resource that will benefit our community for many years to come.”

Mark Baum Baicker, the chair of the Solebury Township Board of Supervisors, said the funding will “help accelerate the development of this unique property that has the potential to become an important local and regional recreation asset.”