Residents from across New Jersey and visitors will have an opportunity to share their perspectives on shaping the future of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park during a series of upcoming public engagement sessions. The canal is one of the state’s most popular recreational corridors.
The Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission, the state regulatory agency within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that is responsible for adopting and implementing a master plan for the park, has scheduled five sessions to discuss and gather input on its work to update the 1989 Master Plan.
New Jersey State Parks, within DEP, owns the canal park and manages its day-to-day operations, while the New Jersey Water Supply Authority operates and maintains the canal’s critically important water transmission elements, providing up to 100 million gallons of drinking water daily for an estimated one million people in central New Jersey.
The master plan will guide the park’s development and informs the implementation of the Commission’s land-use regulatory program to protect the canal park’s historic, environmental and water supply resources. The park spans 34 central New Jersey municipalities.
“As a resident of the canal region, I know firsthand that the D&R Canal State Park is one of the most popular in New Jersey,” Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak said. “I have long been an advocate for protecting and enhancing the state park’s environmental, historic and recreational resources, which are enjoyed by countless residents and visitors in central New Jersey. I encourage the public to participate in the planning process and help the DEP and the Commission ensure the state park’s continued success for decades to come.”
The comprehensive update and revision of the master plan is made possible through a $550,000 grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust to the Commission. The project’s centerpiece is a Historic Structures Survey that focuses on documenting the canal state park’s historic resources and assessing their condition. The last historic structures survey was conducted in 1982. The updated master plan will feature the survey’s findings as well as recommendations for enhancing and preserving various historic structures.
“The Department of Environmental Protection, Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission and New Jersey Water Supply Authority work collaboratively to ensure the state park continues to provide recreational opportunities and amenities for visitors while preserving its historic resources and conserving natural resources,” said John Cecil, Assistant Commissioner for State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites. “Public input and participation in this master plan update are critical to the success of this effort, and we look forward to hearing from the many residents and visitors who use and value this park.”
Created by law in 1974, the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission is responsible for preparing, adopting and implementing a master plan for the physical development of the state park, reviewing state and local actions that impact the park, and coordinating and supporting activities of residents’ groups to promote and preserve the park.
“For more than a half century, the Commission has been at the forefront of protecting the canal state park. However, central New Jersey has undergone major environmental, economic and demographic changes since 1989, and the Master Plan no longer reflects the truth on the ground in the 450 square miles of the Commission’s jurisdiction,” said D&R Canal Commission Executive Director John Hutchison. “We encourage residents to participate in these public sessions so we can get a better understanding of their experiences when using the 70-mile linear state park, which will then help us devise a new plan that will preserve and grow the park in the 21st century.”
Public engagement sessions will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as follows:
- July 14: Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School, 33 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
- July 20: Phillip J. Pittore Justice Center, 25 S. Union St., Lambertville
- July 29: Franklin Township Community Center, 505 DeMott Lane, Somerset
- Aug. 11: NJ DEP Public Hearing Room, 401 E. State St., Trenton
- Sept. 8: Lawrence Township Library HQ Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township
Members of the public who are unable to attend a session may still offer comments on the project by visiting the Commission website: nj.gov/dep/drcc/master-plan-updates.shtml