Rahway River Park: A “Most Endangered” Site

Preservation New Jersey has included Union County’s Rahway River Park on its 2016 list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in New Jersey. The announcement came on Thursday, May 12, on the steps of the New Jersey State House, in Trenton, as reported by Patch. Designed by Olmsted Brothers in the 1920s, the 124-acre park has been at the center of controversy since plans were announced in May 2015 to expand an existing track and field in its historic greensward. The expansion is planned to include a new synthetic-turf field, an enlarged, eight-lane track, bleachers to seat at least 1,200 spectators, and a fieldhouse with restrooms and concessions facilities.  

TCLF included Rahway River Park in its Landslide program in October 2015, subsequently joining with the National Association for Olmsted Parks to issue a statement of concern to the Historic Preservation Office of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection. Despite the protests and an outpouring of support at the local level, ground was broken on December 21, 2015, and the expansion project has continued to move forward.