DEP ANNOUNCES GARDEN STATE PRESERVATION TRUST SUPPORT
OF NEARLY $87 MILLION FOR GREEN ACRES PROJECTS ACROSS STATE;
COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES RECOMMENDATION AT ONE OF THE PROPOSED GRANTEE SITES
(19/P099) TRENTON – The Garden State Preservation Trust has approved and recommended to the New Jersey State Legislature nearly $87 million in funding for projects to develop or update parks, playgrounds and fields, including $1 million for Vista Park in the City of Paterson, to help enhance quality of life statewide, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced today. The Vista Park site in Paterson – one of many in the state that benefit from the grants -- would add 40,000 square feet of green space, among other amenities.
Governor Phil Murphy and Commissioner McCabe have recommended the projects for approval through the DEP’s Green Acres Program.
“Each of the projects recommended for funding by the independent Garden State Preservation Trust helps build New Jersey’s outstanding parks, recreation and open space inventories,” Governor Murphy said. “These grants and loans will benefit urban and suburban communities across the state by giving people opportunities to engage in healthy activities, appreciate the outdoors and enjoy time with their families.”
“Green Acres funding is a powerful tool that helps New Jersey improve the quality of life for residents by improving parks, acquiring land and creating multiple opportunities for active and passive recreation,” Commissioner McCabe said.
“We are thankful to the DEP for awarding the City of Paterson the Green Acres grant,” said Mayor Andre Sayegh. “I have made parks a priority, and this grant will further help us in the continued effort to revitalize Vista Park, which will be the largest park space added in Paterson in decades.”
The Garden State Preservation Trust approved $26.4 million for municipal and county land acquisition projects, $46.3 million for local development of parks and recreation facilities, $5 million for local stewardship projects, $6.1 million for acquisition projects by nonprofit organizations, $1.9 million for recreational development and $800,000 for nonprofit stewardship projects. The Legislature must now approve legislation to formally appropriate the funds for the projects.
The Garden State Preservation Trust-approved projects will establish new parks and expand existing ones, develop athletic fields and playgrounds, improve access to waterways, create open space, and enhance stewardship by restoring lands for nature and public enjoyment.
Green Acres funding allows governments and nonprofits to leverage millions of additional preservation dollars through matching federal, state, county and local funds, as well as from private sources.
Among land acquisition projects across the state proposed for funding:
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Bound Brook in Somerset County will acquire a half-acre riverfront property on Talmage Avenue to create new recreation open space along the Raritan River and to improve connections to Rock Machine Park.
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Downe Township in Cumberland County proposes acquiring a 1.3-acre property at Main Street and Baptist Road in Newport to be a gateway for the community’s bicycle trail network.
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East Rutherford in Bergen County will acquire a 3.82-acre parcel for a passive park, with long-term plans to connect multiple green spaces and parks.
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Fairview in Bergen County intends to acquire a half-acre of property at 102-108 Bergen Blvd. to create a community dog park.
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Pitman in Gloucester County proposes acquiring land next to Alcyon Lake Park to offer an additional 20 acres of land for passive recreation while increasing the natural buffer between development of land to the southwest owned by Rowan University.
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Mountainside in Union County proposes collaborating with a nonprofit partner to buy and preserve land at New Providence Road and Mountain Avenue for a pocket park that would connect to municipal facilities and nearby Echo Lake Park.
Major local projects approved for matching grants of $1 million or more include:
New Jersey has long been a leader in preserving open space. The Green Acres Program, the oldest of its kind in the nation, was created in 1961 as the result of an innovative bond referendum. The Green Acres Program has protected more than 700,000 acres of open space and provided hundreds of recreational facilities around the state.
The DEP is a partner in the Governor’s Population Health Challenge, which calls on state agencies to promote health through their policies. Studies have found that investments in parks and recreational amenities positively impact health and fitness, resulting in less strain on the health-care system. Studies also demonstrate that people are likely to be more physically active if they live close to parks and recreational facilities.
Green Acres projects create jobs and stimulate economic development by making communities more attractive places to live and work, consequently boosting civic pride. They also improve air and water quality.
For more information about the Green Acres Program as well as a more detailed listing of projects, visit www.NJGreenAcres.org.
Follow the DEP on Twitter @NewJerseyDEP.
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