Friday, September 27, 2002

Open Space Acquired in Galloway through Public-Private Partnership

Approximately 40 acres of land in Galloway Township has been acquired for open space through a public-private partnership. The land will be used for future expansion of the Veterans Memorial Park on Route 9 that was purchased by the county last year through the Atlantic County Open Space Trust Fund and donated to the township for the benefit of municipal and county residents.

“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.

Protection of the property is a tremendous achievement given the sprawling development in the area. The property is being preserved through the cooperation of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program, the Atlantic County Open Space Trust Fund, Galloway Township and the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national non-profit conservation organization.

“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 TPL, 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.

County News