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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