Parkland Protected in Galloway Township (NJ)

Galloway Township, New Jersey, 9/25/02 — Galloway Township in Atlantic County will now have another 40 acres dedicated to recreation, according to an announcement today by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), Galloway Township, Atlantic County and NJ Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres officials. The acquisition of land from a private owner allows for the expansion of Veterans Memorial Park at “Glenn” by the Bay.

“This is a great addition to the Galloway park system and a perfect example of agencies and organizations forming a partnership that benefits all residents,” said Mayor Charles Endicott.

The land is one of the last subdividable properties in the vicinity-an area quickly being taken over by sprawling development.

“Once properties like this are lost to development, they are gone forever, often leaving communities struggling to find and protect remaining open space,” said Kathy Haake, project manager for the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, who negotiated the purchase. “Communities must be forward thinking and plan for their future recreation needs.”

Approximately half of the land is forested, with the remainder consisting of wetlands along Cordery Creek, a waterway that provides access to Reeds Bay. The back of the property provides views of the Atlantic City skyline.

For the short term, the additional property will provide visitors to Veterans Memorial Park with opportunities for passive recreation such as hiking, nature walks and bird watching. However, as the township’s need for active recreation amenities such as baseball diamonds and soccer fields grows, Galloway expects to incorporate such expansion into their five-year plan.

“The state is committed to protecting New Jersey’s water quality and other natural resources,” according to John Flynn, state land acquisition bureau chief for Green Acres. “We are also committed to providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy, and to providing financial assistance to local governments and nonprofit agencies to acquire and develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. This project meets all three of these goals.”

“This project is an excellent example of intergovernmental cooperation. We are glad to be a part of this effort to ensure that the citizens of Galloway Township have adequate open space to meet their recreational needs. We look forward to working with the township on similar projects in the future,” said Dennis Levinson, county executive.

Funding for the $675,000 purchase was provided by a New Jersey Green Acres Stateside Grant, the Atlantic County Open Space Trust Fund, a NJ Green Acres Nonprofit Grant to TPL, NJ Green Acres grant to the township and wetland mitigation funds from fines imposed by the Army Corps of Engineers during construction of the Atlantic City tunnel.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit organization that conserves land for people to improve the quality of life in our communities and to protect our natural and historic resources for future generations. To date, TPL has protected more than 18,000 acres in New Jersey, including more than 9,400 acres in the Barnegat Bay watershed. This expansion effort marks the completion of TPL’s first project in Atlantic County.