A nearly year-long effort to link Pitman’s parks via the new Hollywood Dell Trail is complete, and residents will get their first chance to walk the new network during a community hike on Saturday, Dec. 6.

With the new improvements, Ceres Park Nature Preserve, Betty Park, Alcyon Lake Park, as well as the soccer field at Hollywood Dell have been connected, making it possible to enjoy nature paths as well as visiting some of the scenic parks surrounding Pitman.

The trail improvements and connection were made possible by the Sustainable Pitman Committee as well as Pitman’s Environmental Commission after the town received the Local Recreation Improvements under the Department of Community Affairs Grant for $5,600.

“With this grant, it’s all about creating or improving recreational facilities, so it could be anything like playgrounds or a meeting place or something like that. But this was to help make our soccer fields a bit more accessible and to connect different neighborhoods and resources,” said Jimmy Aspras, Chair for Sustainable Pitman.

The Hollywood Dell Trail officially opened in September. The path has been carved out of the green acres space via a collaboration between project leaders Jimmy Asparas, Fred Rodi, Public Works Manager, and John Fitzpatrick, Pitman Town Councilman, replacing a subtle grass path with a much more accessible gravel path.

With its opening and the connection of the many parks and the work that went into the project, Francesca Mundrick, Pitman Environmental Commission Public Outreach Commissioner and Vice Chair for Sustainable Pitman, announced that a community hike would happen to celebrate the opening of this trail, as well as celebrating the community it is for.

“The mission of the hike is to obviously bring together active community members, residents, community groups for collaboration, and for fun of course,” said Mundrick. “Secondarily, we’re bringing attention to the completion of the Hollywood Dell trail, the fact that the grant project was implemented and completed successfully.”

The event also highlights Circuit Trails, an ongoing project in the Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey area that connected hundreds of miles of trails. As part of the project, a proposed Dinosaur Trail is a 10-mile trail proposed for Gloucester County that would pass through the Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park at Rowan University.

The Pitman Community Hike event starts at 9am on Saturday, Dec. 6. It will be about 2.5 miles long, starting at the new Hollywood Dell trail entrance at Memorial Elementary School-Albert Ave. Families, elders, children, and dogs on leash are welcome.

Sponsoring community groups include Hike Partners!, Rotary Club of Pitman, Pitman Alumni Association, Creative Pitman, Earth Care Congregations, Pride Alliance of Pitman, Pitman Garden Club, Women’s Club of Pitman, Highland Chemical Fire Company, Gloucester County Nature Club, PHS Environmental Club, Pitman Fire Company #1, Pitman Grove Community Garden, Bike Gloucester County, and Pitman Parks & Rec Commission.