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Fireworks to
Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Liberty State Park
The state Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) marked the 25th anniversary of Liberty
State Park on Flag Day, Thursday, June 14, with brief ceremonies
at the park's Flag Plaza - exactly 25 years after the park's
opening in 1976.
On Saturday, June 16, Liberty State Park
will host fireworks at 9:15 p.m. in commemoration of its
25th anniversary.
The Jersey City landmark began with the
vision of one man. Morris Pesin, a local businessman, attempted
to take his family to visit the Statue of Liberty. The trip
took several hours, even though the Statue was less than
2,000 feet from the New Jersey waterfront. This inspired
Pesin to launch a canoe trip from New Jersey to the Statue.
The trip took only eight minutes, and so began the dream
of Liberty State Park.
"It has been the dedication and persistence
of thousands of individuals over the past 25 years that
has made this park the extraordinary and unique public resource
that it is today," said DEP Commissioner Bob Shinn. "With
the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
as a spectacular backdrop, it is one of New Jersey's most
dramatic parks."
Liberty State Park, once an abandoned industrial
area, is now a green oasis in the middle of one of the most
densely populated urban areas of the world. DEP's Division
of Parks and Forestry has spent the past 25 years since
acquiring the park, planning for and building a park infrastructure
for public recreation. Today, the park hosts more than four
million visitors annually.
The future of the park will include the
restoration and greening of the remaining areas of the park.
Ultimately, Liberty State Park will provide access to over
1,000 acres of open space.
For more information, contact Liberty State
Park at 201-915-3404 or the Division of Parks and Forestry
at 609-984-0504.
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Mark Compton
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