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State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2006

 

Contact: Karen Hershey (609) 984-1795
Elaine Makatura (609) 292-2994

 

DEP EXPANDS HISTORIC BATTLE MONUMENT PARK

(06/42) TRENTON -- Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson today announced that DEP recently purchased a gas station site along the Delaware and Raritan Canal on North Broad and Warren Streets in Trenton. At a press event held today, DEP Deputy Commissioner John S. Watson Jr. joined with legislators, city and county officials and community leaders to kick off demolition of the buildings on the property. Once clean up is completed, the site will become part of the historic Battle Monument Park.

"This land is key to expanding the historic Battle Monument Park down to the D&R Canal State Park in Trenton," said DEP Deputy Commissioner John S. Watson, Jr. "We are working very closely with Mayor Palmer and his staff to restore this great urban park, and we are very happy to have the opportunity to expand both the park and our partnership with the city."

DEP Green Acres purchased the site for $440,000 dollars. The newly acquired property marks the site where General George Washington's troops set up their artillery in the battle that is thought to be a turning point in the American Revolution-the Battle of Trenton.

"Today's announcement that the Battle Monument Park will be fully realized addresses an issue that has lingered for decades -- and promises to keep this neighborhood on the upswing for decades to come," said Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer. "Our city's collaborative relationship with the Department of Environmental Protection and Commissioner Lisa Jackson is a tremendous example of how partnerships can better the quality of life for communities. We are delighted at this major step forward and eager to work together on other important issues."

The removal of the gas station buildings will open the views to the Battle Monument, which is Trenton's most significant historical monument. Another significant benefit of this acquisition is the removal of the gas station operation from the canal which serves as a drinking water supply for an estimated 500,000 New Jersey residents.

"Mercer County has made the preservation of our open space and expansion of our park system a priority, especially within our urban areas," said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. "By creating additional parkland that our residents can walk, not drive to, we are creating a better quality of life and increasing land value for our capital city."

The Battle Monument neighborhood revitalization project is a key element of Trenton's urban redevelopment initiative. The Battle Monument area plan calls for the construction of mixed income housing, the expansion of city services and the creation of additional parkland.

Sunoco Incorporated joined with the site owner to remediate the site according to DEP standards. Once the garage and gas station are demolished, the remediated site will become part of the park.

The DEP Green Acres Program purchases land to protect environmentally sensitive open space, water resources and other significant natural and historical open space. Land acquired becomes part of the statewide system of parks and forests, wildlife management areas and natural areas.

So far in 2006, Green Acres has preserved or assisted in preserving 4,540 acres of open space. Since its inception in 1961, the program has protected more than 600,000 acres of open space, in addition to providing funding for the development of hundreds of parks throughout New Jersey. New Jersey's statewide system of preserved open space and farmland now amounts to over 1.3 million acres.

To learn more about the Green Acres Program, visit DEP's Web site at: http://www.nj.gov/dep/greenacres/

 

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Last Updated: June 5, 2006