Park Improvements

More Information

Please direct additional questions to:

Director, Community Affairs Department: Ted Forst
Phone: (609) 883-1776 X6203
Email: tforst@ewingnj.org

Learn more about Green Acres Grants

Protecting New Jersey's Open Spaces | Green Acres

Ewing Township has been awarded a $939,692 Green Acres matching grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Garden State Preservation Trust to support construction of the Township's planned Inclusive Playground, adjacent to the new Ewing Senior and Community Center at 999 Lower Ferry Road.  The funding remains contingent upon final legislative appropriation.

The grant award represents a significant step forward for a project designed to create a recreational space where children of all abilities can play, learn, and interact together.

In a letter announcing the award, Acting DEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak noted that investments in local parks and recreation help improve quality of life and expand close-to-home recreational opportunities for residents. He congratulated Ewing Township on securing the funding and expressed the state's commitment to helping bring the project to completion.

Additional details regarding the playground project and project timeline will be shared as they become available. 

The playground will be designed to meet the State's Jake's Law standards, New Jersey's regulations for completely inclusive playgrounds, and will provide accessible, engaging play opportunities for children of all abilities. @NJGreenAcres

Input from the public was solicited via public meetings and surveys and was vital in helping us understand the recreational needs and priorities that will service all members of our community and will guide playground development as well as future programming and services aimed at improving accessibility for all residents. 

Community input was solicited via a survey and meetings on December 15, 2025 and January 1, 2026. A hearing was held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at Council Chambers, Ewing Municipal Building, 2nd floor, 2 Jake Garzio Drive. Access was available either in person of by Zoom.

Questions and comments may be submitted to the Municipal Clerk at kmacellaro@ewingnj.org.

PROJECT DOCUMENTS

• Concept Plan (Updated)
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Cost Estimate and 
• Summary of Community Survey Results

Hard copies are available at the Clerk's Office.

WRITTEN COMMENTS

Written comments on the proposed application may be directed to:
Kim Macellaro, RMC, CMC
Ewing Municipal Clerk
Email: kmacellaro@ewingnj.org
Address: 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing, NJ 08628
Phone: (609) 538-7609 

 National Park Service
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grant
Application Letter

Learn more about the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program

Ewing Township is seeking community input on an opportunity to apply for federal funding to make improvements to John S. Watson Park and the Ilene Black Field at the Municipal fields complex. Watson Park includes the LiMato Football fields, Carlton Softball field, and the picnic area off Upper Ferry Road.

The grant opportunity is through the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (OLRP) Program and is administered by the National Park Service. Potential improvements could include walking trails, athletic fields, a playground, dog park, community garden, picnic areas, and other amenities based on community priorities.

The public is invited to provide input to help us plan for the future of the park. You may attend public meetings early in 2026 and/or take our survey below.

Public Meeting 

Public meetings were held for the public to learn more about the project and share their feedback:

• Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 6:00 pm at Hollowbrook Community Center (also viewable by Zoom).
• Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 6:00 pm at Hollowbrook Community Center (also viewable by Zoom).

Survey

The survey has been closed. Survey responses will be compiled and summarized as part of Ewing's grant application and shared at the upcoming community meetings.  

• Survey link. The survey is still available for viewing for informational purposes. However, it is closed to any additional entries at this time. Look for survey results to be supplied in the near future.

The Future of Ewing Parks

Over the next several years, the Township has determined to transform the landscape of their parks and recreational facilities for the future. This project will be one of the first steps in providing sustainable land development for some of the most frequently used facilities in the area. Therefore, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant is essential for ensuring that these improvements will be effective for a long period of time.

This investment will enhance our parks, expand recreational opportunities, and improve accessibility for residents of all ages.

As part of the grant process, we are committed to engaging the community every step of the way. There will be multiple opportunities for residents to view project plans, share feedback, and ask questions in the coming months. Your input will help shape the final design and ensure these upgrades best serve our community’s needs.

Stay tuned for upcoming public meetings and other ways to get involved.

Click on the image below to see a larger size.

A Ewing Parks Conservation Plan was developed from a joint effort between TCNJ and Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) with a focus on preserving and stewarding lands in Ewing Twp.  FoHVOS was awarded a grant for TCNJ internships and, under the leadership of Michael Van Clef, Ph.D., Stewardship Director, Dana Christensen, Land Steward, and Kaitlin Muccio, Land Steward, worked with 4 students for 2024-25 school year to create conservation plan for campus, plus 3 municipal parks in Ewing Twp.  These lands include lands at:

• The College of New Jersey (413 acres),

• John Watson Park (60 acres),

• Hollow Brook Park (27 acres), and

• Temple Park (26 acres).

The Plan, finalized in June 2025, developed a stewardship vision of restoring mature forests, wildlife corridors, and native meadows.

Major threats to conservation values identified in the report include: invasive species, altered soils, and deer overabundance.

"The properties show significant signs of deer over browse, which has led to severe ecological degradation in natural areas. Virtually all forests fall into two impaired categories – “Empty Forest Syndrome” (few understory plants) or “Infested Forest Syndrome” (only unpalatable invasive understory plants). Reduction of the deer density to 20 per square mile (or as low as 10 per square mile to allow recovery of the most sensitive forest wildflowers) is critical to allow native species, freed from excessive browse, to exert ecological control over invasive species and produce healthy native plant communities.

The extent of invasive species infestation is severe. A total of 48 invasive species were detected across all Properties. In order of severity, 100% of Temple Park, 96% of John Watson Park, 67% of TCNJ, and 37% of Hollow Brook Park have severe infestations of one or more species. Only 10% of TCNJ, 8% of Hollow Brook and 2% of John Watson Park are considered virtually free of invasive species. The three most abundant species are Japanese Stiltgrass, Multiflora Rose, and Japanese Honeysuckle. Importantly, there were 25 detected emerging invasive species or nascent populations of widespread species that should be considered for eradication to avoid future degradation of ecological health."

FoHVOS Proposed Stewardship Recommendations

• Start with Deer Management Programs (to reduce grazing pressure and impacts)

• Invasive Species Removal by Action Code (Mechanical, Chemical, Biological)

• Restoration of Land through Native Plantings, Stewardship, Long-Term Monitoring.