Dear Friends,                                                                                 Summer, 2003

It’s time to enjoy the park in this first summer of the New Era in which the park isn’t threatened by commercialization plans. The Public Good has triumphed over private greed. The Development Corp.’s last official day was June 30^th , thanks to Governor James E. McGreevey’s and NJDEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell’s democratic responsiveness to the Public’s Voice calling for a free and green park.

The park is part of the heart and soul of New Jersey and America, and The People have accomplished a great achievement  driven by passion for this treasured green public land and a sense of justice -  by defeating a series of destructive plans. The People who love the park have made LSP’s history a living tribute to our rights as human beings and as Americans. We have practiced democracy and protected the park which will now blossom as a true park - for open space, free recreation, nature, history, playgrounds, picnic areas, and cultural events.

Liberty State Park, like NYC’s Central Park, which is celebrating its 150^th birthday, is Everybody’s Park, and brings people of all cultural backgrounds, colors, and creeds together to enjoy themselves with the soul-stirring view of Lady Liberty.

The Friends, which just turned 15 years old, pledges to continue to do our best to advocate for the park’s future, and we hope you’ll support our efforts with a dues contribution. The Friends expect to be on the new Public Advisory Committee, which will be an expanded version of the Interdisciplinary Planning Committee.

This Spring, we spent several thousand dollars on perennial flowers and herbs for the Terminal and Green Park section’s garden beds, and for 7 Sawtooth Oaks, shade trees planted around the big playground. Volunteers are welcomed throughout the summer to do garden maintenance of the new garden beds.  Please call Maria, LSP’s terrific horticulturist and Friends member, at 973-736-0913. Our member Lisa helped initiate a “Keep Liberty Clean, Don’t Litter” campaign; on June 22, she hit the switch to light up that message on the park’s electronic sign.

The new “Grove of Remembrance” along Zapp Drive and the new paths which will be converging at Zapp and Phillips Street are great improvements. The US Army Corps of Engineers continues to study the 190 acre Interior for nature restoration with trails, and the Friends and our ally, the LSP Conservancy with its president Greg Remaud, will recommend creative plans for its 60 acre open space perimeter. Please contact us, and LSP’s caring Superintendents Steve Ellis and Josh Osowski with ideas. Just go to the main office or call 201-915-3403. Thanks for your support!


Sam Pesin     Michel Cuillerier     Eliza Wright     Eleanor Traina     Mildred Shapiro
pres.              1st vice-pres.            2nd vice-pres.     secretary              treasurer




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