Jersey City gives final OK on recreational trail around Boonton Reservoir

William Westhoven | Morristown Daily Record

Show Caption Hide Caption Boonton Reservoir trail announcement Officials gather at the Boonton Reservoir to announce the creation of a new passive recreation trail around the 1,300-acre body of water. Sept. 28, 2018

A long-discussed plan to establish a recreational trail around the Boonton Reservoir will now move forward, after approval by the Jersey City Council.

The council voted 7-1 to approve the project after hearing public comment at meetings in Parsippany and Boonton, where the 700-acre reservoir lies, and in Jersey City, which owns it and has operated it as a utility and its primary water supply since 1904.

The 7.7-mile trail will be open to the public. Proponents of the plan, including the Open Space Institute, said the project also will safeguard drinking water supplies by enhancing security while installing new drainage solutions and native plantings to reduce stormwater runoff.

“Increasing quality to the environment and to the drinking water is of top priority, but this plan additionally provides our Jersey City students a new opportunity with future educational field trips — similar to our plans underway for Jersey City Reservoir #3 in the Heights," said Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

Permitting and engineering processes will now begin as the next phase of the Boonton Reservoir Protection and Trail Project, project managers said. The commission expects to open Phase 1 of the trail within two years.

The OSI will secure permits from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the trail. It also will work with engineers to lay the groundwork for the trail, while the Morris County Park Commission will undertake the actual construction.

The trail would function as a new park in the Morris County park system, with the commission holding a 40-year lease on the operation. Security patrols will be mostly conducted by the Morris County Park Police and officers from Parsippany and Boonton.

“The Open Space Institute is proud to further a legacy of creating life-changing public recreational assets and of safeguarding drinking water resources for generations to come,” said OSI President and CEO Kim Elliman. “Strategic land conservation goes hand in hand with providing healthy communities safe, reliable drinking water and places to play.”

The Jersey City Council passed an ordinance in September 2018 authorizing the execution of a 40-year lease agreement with the Morris County Park Commission to develop and manage a trail at the reservoir. A shoreline press conference announcing the project followed.

The ordinance also authorized OSI to create a master plan to determine public use of the property.

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William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com Twitter: @wwesthoven