D&R Canal Conference Highlights

The idea of convening a conference concentrating on the Delaware & Raritan Canal was first suggested by Gail O’Reilly, Red Bank community activist and friend of Jim Amon, the former D&R Canal Commission’s Executive Director. Gail thought that there were valuable lessons to be highlighted. A conference might also provide closure to Jim Amon’s lengthy 30–year run.

From MLUC’s perspective, the D&R Canal provides a signature for the Central Jersey region that roughly coincides with the five-county region that constitutes its field of operation. The Canal could provide a thread to connect the region’s disparate corners. Just as importantly, the Canal Commission’s experience represents a positive regional planning experience that is frequently left unmentioned in a state that too often only touts its home rule tradition.

MLUC drew upon a diverse group of partners from non-governmental organizations, and state, county and municipal representatives, to assist in the development of the workshop format. Bob and Linda Barth of the Canal Society of New Jersey contacted Dr. Richard Hunter, an historic preservation expert from Trenton, who has done extensive work in and around the Canal, and Dr. Howard L. Green, Director of Research for the New Jersey Historical Commission, and author of a book on the Canal. The Barths were also responsible for bringing canal expert, Tom Grasso, to speak at the conference. In New York State, Grasso worked extensively on the restoration of the Erie Canal. Locally based environmental groups, like the D&R Canal Watch, and those with a much wider scope, such as the East Coast Greenway, agreed to provide displays and information.

The City of Trenton was interested in using the Canal as an anchor for several of its planned redevelopment projects. Princeton Township wanted to highlight the Canal’s value and contributions to its community’s quality of life. Regional Plan Association recognized the opportunities for active and healthy living that the Canal provides to central Jersey residents. The Mercer County Planning Department wanted to showcase the Canal’s value as a regional resource.

Major sponsors of the event included interests from a variety of groups – from multi-national corporate giant Johnson & Johnson-Ethicon, to a well-known planning firm in the region —Clarke, Caton & Hintz, and a local good neighbor, The Trenton Country Club, as well as both Princeton and Rutgers Universities. New Jersey Water Supply Authority that draws drinking water from the canal to serve its Central Jersey customers was also a conference booster.

On June 1st, 175 people gathered at The College of New Jersey to discuss the Canal’s history, its present condition, and what the future might bring. Former Senator Ray Bateman, who sponsored the legislation creating the Canal Commission in the 1970’s, kicked off the morning session. The former Senator was followed by Tom Grasso, who presented an insightful travelogue on the uses of canals throughout the world while underlining the D&R’s untapped potential. Howard Green and Richard Hunter presented a talk in team fashion on the history of the Canal. Ernie Hahn, the Canal Commission’s newly appointed Executive Director, reported on the Canal’s current condition, commenting on the situation following the spring storm and selected projects now in progress in his luncheon talk.

Six different workshops were offered in the afternoon including: “The Canal as a Framework for Regional Cooperation” which compared the way that the D&R Canal fits among New Jersey’s experiences with the Pinelands, the Meadowlands and more recently, with the Highlands Council. Other workshops focused on the recreational uses of the Canal, the importance of the Canal as a natural resource, the Canal’s potential for economic development, particularly eco-tourism, and on the way the Canal might be employed to enhance four different Trenton neighborhoods. This double session operated as a studio with a concentration on urban design. Another workshop that proved to be a favorite featured Jim Amon’s insights from his experiences with different municipalities over his 30-year tenure.

Recommendations for next steps to make improvements to the Canal were developed and presented at the afternoon’s summary wrap-up session.

Nearly 100 people reconvened in the evening at the Prallsville Mill for the day’s culminating activity. That event was organized by Linda Mead and her staff at The Delaware and Raritan Greenway Land Trust, in partnership with MLUC. Mayor Gregg Rackin of Stockton Borough hosted this celebration of the Canal. “The Graveyard Shift,” a band of talented State employees provided the music. Jerry English, former NJDEP Commissioner, spoke about her experiences with the D&R Canal, first as Governor Byrne’s Legislative Counsel and later as NJDEP Commissioner in those early days. Dr. James W. Hughes, Dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Rutgers University, spoke about the importance of the D&R Canal to the quality of life of Central Jersey, especially in light of the extreme residential, retail, and office development pressures experienced by the region since the end of the Second World War. The event’s proceedings and recommended next steps are available on the MLUC website and will be presented to the D & R Canal Commission in the fall.