Garden State Times

On Tuesday, Commissioner Jeffrey Nash joined Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen and representatives from the US Environmental Protection Agency to unveil the first phase of completion of the Elijah Perry Park revitalization project. Officials also announced a new grant award from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that will kickstart the second phase of this project.

Phase I of the project broke ground last December and involved comprehensive environmental remediation and the construction of various new and improved amenities such as a baseball field, mini soccer pitch, playground, and raingarden. The work was made possible through $2.3 million in grant funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the City of Camden, the Camden Redevelopment Agency, and the Housing Authority of the City of Camden.

“It is remarkable to see how far this space has come,” Commissioner Jeffrey Nash said. “What was once a brownfield is now a beautiful, quality community green space for the residents of the Centerville neighborhood. These types of projects are so crucial for the progress of our community, and I am thrilled to welcome our residents to the new Elijah Perry Park.”

A brownfield is a property where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated due to the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. Once these properties have been cleaned up, former brownfields can be redeveloped into productive uses such as grocery stores, affordable housing, parks or solar farms.