Solebury Awarded State Grant for Former Quarry Purchase
Rep. Tim Brennan January 14, 2026 | 12:47 PM
The following press release was shared by Solebury Township on January 14, 2026:
Solebury Township has been notified by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that it has been awarded an $800,000 grant toward the purchase of the former New Hope Crushed Stone property on Phillips Mill Road in Solebury Township.
The Township purchased the 166-acre property with its 60-acre lake in 2025 at a purchase price of $3,200,000 and created an innovative partnership with Solebury School, which obtained a non-exclusive easement for trail and eventual water access to offset the purchase price. The purchase price, offset by Solebury School’s easement purchase, reduced the Township’s net cost to $1,600,000. Furthermore, the Township determined that an existing structure on the property could be used as a Public Works storage facility, thereby saving $350,000 the Township had budgeted for construction of such a facility at the municipal campus. The newly-announced DCNR grant further reduces the Township’s net cost to less than $500,000.
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn stated that “the grant award is a recognition of outstanding recreation and conservation work.”
“These funds will help accelerate the development of this unique property that has the potential to become an important local and regional recreation asset,” said Solebury Board of Supervisors Chair Mark Baum Baicker. "We are so appreciative that DCNR recognized this and generously awarded us this grant. I want to specially thank Representative Tim Brennan and Senator Steve Santarsiero for their support in this process and our Township Manager, Chris Garges, for all the work he did in pursuing this grant.”
Representative Brennan added: “The Solebury Quarry project reflects creativity, strong stewardship of the environment and local resources, as well as partnerships between state, local, and nonprofit organizations. Good local government too often goes unnoticed, which makes me even more proud that the Commonwealth is supporting this project. Securing state support is a win for our community’s future and an acknowledgment of the vision and leadership of Solebury Township, The Solebury School, and my colleague Senator Steve Santarsiero.”
“For years, this site was a source of frustration and disruption for the Solebury community,” said Senator Santarsiero. “Seeing it transformed from a poorly managed quarry that caused real problems into a beautiful lake and future public park is a powerful example of what can happen when local, state, and community partners work together with a shared vision. This project will protect open space, restore the landscape, and preserve water resources while creating new opportunities for recreation and public safety. I’m incredibly proud of the collaboration that made this possible and grateful to DCNR, Solebury Township, Solebury School, Representative Tim Brennan, Township Manager Chris Garges, and all involved for turning a long-standing nuisance into a lasting public asset.”
Solebury Township is in the process of developing long-term plans for the property. It has already made arrangements with Central Bucks EMS for an EMS station on the property, with the Bucks County Public Safety Dive Team for use as a training facility, and to have a dry hydrant placed on the property for emergency water access for local fire departments.