Scott Taylor presents the Stone Harbor Freedom Park to the Cape May County Open Space board.
Stone Harbor officials made a presentation before the Cape May County Open Space Board regarding the new Stone Harbor Freedom Park. The presentation was made before the full board during a public meeting on Tuesday, December 17th, 2013.Stone Harbor submitted an application for $99,600 that would finance the construction of the park that will be located between 96th Street and Seng Place. Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters and councilmembers Joan Kramar and Joselyn Rich were in attendance, along with Administrator Jill Gougher. Scott Taylor from the Taylor Design Group of Mount Laurel, New Jersey made the presentation before the board.
“We received plenty of positive comments from the community about the new location for this park”, Councilwoman Kramar said. “This park will be a passive civic park that pays tribute to all of the freedoms we enjoy in the United States. To date, Stone Harbor has received in excess of $34,000 in donations to support this initiative”.
During the comment portion of the meeting, board member Peter Lomax expressed appreciation to the Borough for presenting a revised design and location of the park which will include an artifact recovered from the World Trade Center. Two members of the public spoke about park and both spoke in favor of the project.
On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Stone Harbor Borough Council unanimously approved a conceptual plan of the new Stone Harbor Freedom Park which will be located just east of the Stone Harbor Fireman’s Memorial, steps away from Stone Harbor Borough Hall, the business district, and a new branch of the Cape May County Library System. The park features a small civic gathering space with small tables and benches. It includes a free standing stone wall, small trellis, and natural features including drought-tolerant trees, flowering vines, and lawn areas. A small light pole will spotlight the artifact during the evening hours.
The wall will also feature a special plaque that will include the inscription: “This Park is dedicated to celebrate the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans…And to honor the commitments of those who provide and protect those freedoms. The Steel Artifact was retrieved from the World Trade Center in New York City after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. It symbolizes the sorrow and travail that we must sometimes endure in pursuit of freedom and independence”.
A final decision by the Board is expected in the coming weeks. For more information and a photo of the conceptual design of the Stone Harbor Freedom Park, visit www.stoneharbornj.org
