Official Site of The State of New Jersey

(24/P016) TRENTON –In its continuing commitment to expanding access to open space and recreation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection today hosted the third in a series of open house-style events to engage directly with the public and seek feedback on conceptual plans for the revitalization of Liberty State Park. This third open house is centered on expanding recreational offerings and creating exciting new community gathering spaces across the southern and waterfront areas of Liberty State Park.

Known as LSP-South, this second phase of the larger LSP Revitalization Program is located along Morris Pesin and Thomas McGovern Drives to the south, and between Freedom Way and the Hudson River to the east. Future outdoor public recreational offerings in LSP-South would include several athletic fields and court-based sports, further complementing athletic programming already planned for LSP-North along Audrey Zapp Drive.

The addition of athletic facilities and other amenities, such as water-based recreation, would increase the overall parks capacity in Jersey City by nearly 50 percent. Public feedback provided at the open house will support the completion of a Master Plan for LSP-South that conserves valuable open space while creating a world-class destination that maximizes public programming.

Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette provided opening remarks in the concourse area of the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal Building’s train shed before attendees were invited to view posters, provide comments, ask questions and participate in several interactive tabletop activities focused on the development of the LSP-South Master Plan, as well as expanded transportation opportunities to, from, and within the park.  

When finalized, the LSP-South Master Plan will serve as a roadmap for short- and long-term park improvements in the southern and waterfront areas of the park. The LSP-South Master Plan will complement work already underway to construct a nature-based Central Park at the heart of LSP and active recreational, arts, and cultural amenities along the mile-long Audrey Zapp Drive corridor in LSP-North.

Those who were unable to attend the open house can view the LSP-South materials and provide feedback online. Comments will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 19.

“Here at Liberty State Park, and all across New Jersey, we are joining with the public we serve to build an open space and recreation legacy that will bring people and communities together to enjoy the environment we share,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “My DEP colleagues and I are grateful to the many residents and visitors who have joined us throughout each phase of the LSP revitalization process, and whose thoughtful feedback is helping to ensure that new amenities will best serve the diverse needs of park visitors and our host community while conserving this most cherished open space for future generations.”

Open House Details

At the open house, the public interacted with multiple stations which displayed information on the park’s history and public feedback to date, alternatives for active recreational facilities, including athletic fields and court-based sports, play-based amenities, water-based activities, transportation and circulation, and other park improvements in the southern and waterfront area of LSP.

Interactive tabletop activities allowed stakeholders to place markers on a map of the park to identify their favorite areas, access points, and proposed new elements. The information and suggestions collected from the public will be used to refine and expand upon conceptual plans for LSP-South.

In addition to new materials on the LSP-South Master Plan, members of the public were again able to view previously presented plans for active recreation, arts, and cultural amenities in LSP-North, as well as plans for the nature-based central park that is now under construction in the LSP-Interior.

LSP-South Master Plan

The draft LSP-South Master Plan calls for the following:

• Assess opportunities and plan improvements for the park’s southern area (i.e., Morris Pesin Drive Corridor) and Waterfront Area (i.e., the Freedom Way Corridor)
• Create the Southern Athletics Hub along Thomas McGovern Drive to complement field and court-based sporting amenities to be developed in LSP-North
• Evaluate feasibility of an aquatics center, community gardens
• Enhance coastal wetland habitat and resources in the southern and waterfront areas
• Integrate elements of earlier phases into holistic parkwide network
• Develop long-term parking and intra-park transit solutions

A map outlining the area covered by the draft LSP-South Master Plan can be found here.

Initial feedback on the draft LSP-South Master Plan, which helped guide the open house, was provided by members of the Liberty State Park Design Task Force and the public during an April 9 meeting in the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, as well as through a public survey posted on the Liberty State Park Revitalization Program’s website. The LSP-South Master Plan is expected to be finalized and presented to the public in 2025.

“The LSP-South Master Plan will act as DEP’s framework for years to come as we move from the planning and design phases and into the implementation phase of the Liberty State Park Revitalization Program,” said John Cecil, Assistant Commissioner for State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites. “The extensive outreach and public engagement we are conducting will ensure that Liberty State Park remains both a regional and international attraction for future generations, while still catering to the needs of Jersey City residents who experience ‘Liberty Park,’ as it’s locally known, as their backyard.”

“The LSP-South Master Plan will not only outline concepts for Liberty State Park’s southern and waterfront areas but will also integrate all three phases of the Revitalization Program,” said Maggie McCann, Administrator for Urban State Parks & Initiatives. “We have heard loud and clear that parking, circulation through the park and transportation to and from the park are at the forefront of park users’ minds and the LSP-South Master Plan will address these concerns.”

Liberty State Park Revitalization Program Background and Forthcoming Public Engagement

The Liberty State Park Revitalization Program will bring more than 100 acres of active recreational, arts, and cultural improvements to Liberty State Park’s perimeter and create a central park at its heart with world-class natural landscapes that build resilience to flooding and climate change while providing passive recreation and educational opportunities for the public.

In October 2023, the DEP broke ground on a major component of the LSP Revitalization Program—the cleanup and restoration of the long fenced-off interior area of the park. Detailed information about each of the revitalization phases is included on DEP’s Liberty State Park Revitalization Program microsite.

Public engagement is a touchstone of the LSP Revitalization Program, and an advisory Liberty State Park Design Task Force is supporting the development of short- and long-term park improvement plans by soliciting public comment and providing recommendations to DEP.

The next Design Task Force meeting is slated for Tuesday, May 21 at 6 p.m. in the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal Building and will focus on the LSP-South Master Plan. A public comment session will follow the meeting. The meeting and public comment session will be held in a hybrid manner and online registration is now available.

For more information and updates on the Liberty State Park Revitalization Program, visit dep.nj.gov/revitalizelsp/

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