TheRichard J. Coffee Mercer County Park is a recreational park located inWest Windsor Township and small western sections ofHamilton andLawrence Townships inMercer County,New Jersey, United States. Originally and still more commonly known asMercer County Park, the park was renamed in October 2009 in honor ofNew Jersey State SenatorRichard J. Coffee.[1]
The park encompasses over 2,500 acres (10 km2) covering much of southern West Windsor, with portions extending into adjacentHamilton andLawrence.Mercer Lake, located within the park, is the home for the US Olympic Rowing Team's training center.[2] TheNational Softball Association honored the Mercer County Park Commission with its "Outstanding Parks Award" for the softball fields and facilities in Mercer County Park. It has served as the home field for theNew Jersey Pride of theMajor League Lacrosse for one game in 2004, 2005 and 2006. It has also hosted semi-professionalMinor League Cricket matches.
The land was acquired between the late 1960s and the early 1970s. It consists of over 50 pieces of property, which included many farms. Ground was broken for the park in June 1971. Because of the construction of RoutesI-95 andI-295, the lake basin was excavated and paid for by selling gravel to the highway contractors, which in turn helped excavate the basin now known as Lake Mercer.
The park is the home of numerous events in the summer known as the "Mercer County Summer Concert Series", hosting concerts through July and August. Mercer County Park follows up this time of year with different festivals as well as hosting events for the Special Olympics fall games.
