CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ --The next few months will bring additional enhancements to the Cape May County Park, located in Cape May Court House. Park visitors will notice beautification and plantings being installed around the main pond, west of Route 9. With the support of a $500,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, this pond was dredged in March of 2018. The materials, which were tested and found to be safe organic matter, were transported to a site along Court House-South Dennis Road, where they have been used to create a berm bordering the rear of the African Savannah.
Over the coming weeks, County staff will install a variety of grasses, bushes, and trees along the edge of the pond, in accordance with plans designed to deter use of the area by Canada Geese. This will result in the area being more aesthetically pleasing and useable for park visitors. In addition, water quality in the pond, which suffered from the plethora of geese that have traditionally used the site, will improve. Ongoing monitoring will confirm this water quality benefit.
Dredging will also soon begin on “Pond 2”, which is located in County Park East. Beginning the week of September 17th, and in keeping with NJDEP permit conditions, the fish from the pond were safely harvested and relocated, and then water levels were lowered. Dredging will begin in the final weeks of September, with dredge materials
Park being placed in a containment area in the existing parking lot adjacent the tennis courts. These materials will remain on site for 2-3 months to dewater in advance of transport by the County to the same site along the eastern side of Court House-South Dennis road at the western edge of the Savannah. Once they are placed on that site, the berm will be expanded to provide additional visual buffer, and grasses and other landscaping materials will be planted to make it visually appealing. Please note that the tennis courts will remain open, but that the parking area will be closed during the time when the dredge materials are present on site.
Contact: Ed Runyon, Park Director
609 465-5271