SOMERVILLE, NJ – The Somerset County Board of County Commissioners this week approved the first grant under its new recreational open space funding program, a $250,000 grant to cover upfront and unanticipated costs for the Borough of Manville’s Lost Valley Nature Park project. Manville will use the grant along with $800,000 of funding from a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant, a Federal program administered by the NJ Department of Transportation. The park area includes 40 acres of County owned land and adjacent purchased residential properties that have experienced repeated flooding since Hurricane Doria in 1974 and was particularly hard hit by Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

“We don’t want to wait any longer to expand our open space programs to Somerset County’s more densely populated communities, and we’re thrilled to back the Lost Valley Nature Park project for the residents of Manville,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Sara Sooy. “This project is perfect for our new open space funding criteria as it provides environmental and recreational benefits for the local community and beyond.”

Manville plans under the project to remove a number of impervious surfaces such as asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks to create recreational open space where they will plant native vegetation and trees to create wildlife habitat. The restoration of the Lost Valley area will allow for better flood water storage and provide recreational opportunities including increased boat access to the Millstone River and a future pedestrian bridge connecting the new park to the D&R Canal towpath.

The Open Space Advisory Committee recommended the plan to the Somerset County’s Commissioners following Manville’s presentation at the January 20^th OSAC meeting, noting that the project fit well into the County’s larger Raritan River Greenway initiative, encourages environmental stewardship, and is a short walk from downtown which could also encourage economic development.

“Densely populated towns are in particular need of open space and recreational opportunities, and the Lost Valley Nature Park is a great opportunity for the residents of Manville to increase their parkland while reducing flooding,” said Commissioner Doug Singleterry. “I encourage every town with a shovel-ready project for recreational development to apply for this new funding opportunity.”

The Lost Valley Nature Park project will also receive funding from the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant, a Federal program administered by NJ Department of Transportation for the removal of impervious surfacing and utilities and the restoration of flood-prone residential properties to a natural state. Properties included in the project contained homes that were repeatedly flooded over the past 50 years and were purchased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reduce the impact of future floods.

 "The funding from the County was vitally important to the Lost Valley Nature Park project," said Manville Borough Clerk Brett Radi. "The Commissioner's support with this grant meant we could meet the requirements in the TAP funding and would be able to utilize that $800,000 as well."

In 2019 the Lost Valley Nature Park conceptual design won the Excellence in Planning Award from the Somerset County Land Development & Planning Awards.

On January 12, 2021, the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners expanded the existing Recreation Grant Program from 2008 for turf athletic fields to include funding for active and passive municipal recreational spaces such as athletic fields, parks, picnic areas, trails, exercise paths, and more. The goal is to continue large property acquisition and farmland preservation whenever possible, but to also ensure Open Space funding is also offered to communities without large available tracts of land.

Communities interested in funding under the Recreation Grant Program must have a well-developed project, preferably “shovel-ready”, with estimated costs and make a funding request in writing to Thomas Boccino, PP, LLA, Principal Planner, Land Acquisition, 20 Grove Street, Somerville, NJ 08876. If the application is deemed viable, the municipality will be asked to make a presentation to the Open Space Advisory Committee. Applications can be made at any time during the year as municipalities are ready.

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