PARK COMMISSION'S MIRY RUN PONDS RECEIVES
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARD
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP – The Mercer County Park Commission’s Miry Run Ponds Master Plan has received the 2021 Chapter Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (NJASLA). The master plan was selected by a unanimous vote of jury members and was announced at the NJASLA virtual meeting held on Jan. 31.
The master plan is the product of a year-long process led by consultants Simone Collins Landscape Architecture and Princeton Hydro, resulting in an ambitious, yet environmentally sensitive plan for the 279-acre County property in Hamilton, West Windsor and Robbinsville. The panel of jurors from the Oregon Chapter of the ASLA selected Miry Run Ponds Master Plan, also known as Dam Site 21, based on the research, design, restoration, and the public participation process that informed the final plan.
“With input from the public, our consultants helped us create a vision for the park that will improve water quality in the lake and make it more accessible to Mercer County residents,” said Park Commission Executive Director Aaron T. Watson. “The Park Commission is honored to have a project recognized by the NJASLA and we look forward to acting on our plan in the years ahead.”
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The Park Commission recently initiated work to prepare detailed design and engineering plans for the first phase of improvements at the park. Phase 1 park improvements are estimated to be completed in 2024.
“The master plan proposes 34 acres of new forest, which will contain an estimated 14,800 new trees, and 64 acres of new native meadows,” noted Peter Simone, President of Simone Collins Landscape Architect. “In addition to ecological restoration of the site, the plan’s predominant recommendation is for six miles of new trails. Access for kayaking, fishing and visitor parking are also proposed.”
The NJASLA Professional Annual Awards honors entries from around the region. The 2021 awards video and award winners can be found here.
More information on the Miry Run Ponds park plan can be found by visiting www.mercercountyparks.org.
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