Morris County Park Commission
{{Short description|Board of commissioners in New Jersey, US}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Morris County Park Commission
| formation = 1956
| image = Frelinghuysen Arboretum Morristown Building Entrance.jpg
| caption = Headquarters of the Morris County Park Commission in the Frelinghuysen Arboretum
| abbreviation = MCPC
| headquarters = 300 Mendham Road
Morris Township, New Jersey 07960
| website = {{URL|http://www.morrisparks.net/}}
}}
The Morris County Park Commission (MCPC) is a board of commissioners that manages parks, facilities, and historic sites in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.
It is the largest county park system in New Jersey.{{Cite web |last1=Baer |first1=Marilyn |last2=Writer |first2=Staff |date=2020-01-20 |title=Get green for keeping the planet green |url=https://hudsonreporter.com/2020/01/20/get-green-for-keeping-the-planet-green/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Hudson Reporter |language=en-US}} Russel Myers was its first Secretary-Director and Director, serving the system from 1955 until 1983.[https://www.morrisparks.net/assets/images/PDFs/Commission/Minutes/2021/20210628Minutes.pdf THE MORRIS COUNTY PARK COMMISSION DISTRIBUTION OF PARK COMMISSION JUNE 28, 2021 MEETING MINUTES]
The MCPC provides the public with more than {{convert|20000|acres}} for recreational, leisure, and educational use.{{Cite web |title=An Important Message on Safety for Morris County Park Visitors |url=https://www.morriscountynj.gov/Morris-County-News/An-Important-Message-on-Safety-for-Morris-County-Park-Visitors |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.morriscountynj.gov |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Parsippany's Dr. Lou Valori is Appointed to the Morris County Park's Commission |url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/parsippany/sections/green/articles/parsippany-s-dr-lou-valori-is-appointed-to-the-morris-county-park-s-commission |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=TAPinto |language=en}} As of May 2022, it operates 38 facilities including outdoor parks, trails, a marina, an ice skating arena, a horse stable, a historical farm and an operating mill.
History
File:Merchiston Farm, Chester Township, NJ - Arbor, looking west.jpg, managed by the Morris County Park Commission|236x236px]]
Morris County likely followed in the footsteps of other local park commissions. For example, New York City's Central Park Commission was founded in 1856;{{Cite web |title=New York City Parks Commissioners : NYC Parks |url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/commissioners |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.nycgovparks.org}} the Hudson County Park Commission was created in 1892;{{Cite journal |date=August 12, 1873 |title=The old and the New - The Opposition and the Proposed Route |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1873/08/12/105198282.pdf |journal=The New York Times |accessdate=March 29, 2010}} and the Essex County Park Commission was created in 1895.{{Cite web |title=Parks {{!}} Essex County Parks |url=https://essexcountyparks.org/parks |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=essexcountyparks.org}}
Circa 1955, the Morris County Planning board recommended the creation of a Park Commission to the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.{{Cite book |last=Board |first=Morris County Planning |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=48w1IUl1kL8C&q=%22morris+county+park+commission%22 |title=A Preliminary Report on County Parks |date=1957 |language=en}} The goal of the commission was to provide attractive recreation areas, as well as aid traffic problems and protect limited water resources.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dzYQxu6L5n4C&q=%22morris+county+park+commission%22 |title=American city |date=1956 |language=en |last1=Grant |first1=Arthur Hastings |last2=Buttenheim |first2=Harold S. }} Passage of a voter referendum in 1956 formally established a Morris County Park Commission,{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ppoqAQAAMAAJ&q=%22morris+county+park+commission%22 |title=Parks & Recreation |date=1957 |publisher=American Institute of Park Executives |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} Morris County Parks |url=https://www.morrisparks.net/commission/about/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.morrisparks.net}} and this was reported upon in American City. Its first leader was Secretary-Director Russel W. Myers, a landscape architect.[https://willowwoodarboretum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Wilson-Tubbs-Willowwood-Timeline.pdf Willowwood Timeline] That year, the Garden Club of America announced an alliance with the Morris County Park Commission's mission of "acquiring land, preserving natural areas, [and] protecting watersheds and streams from pollution."{{Cite book |last=America |first=Garden Club of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8RoLAQAAMAAJ&q=%22morris+county+park+commission%22 |title=Bulletin |date=1956 |language=en}}
In March 1958, the {{convert|350|acres|adj=on}} Lewis Morris County Park in Morristown was the first park to be dedicated by the MCPC. As of 2021, it has expanded to {{Convert|2196|acres}} with {{Convert|22.1|miles}} of trails. The park alone includes "hiking, off-road biking, and equestrian trails[,] picnic areas[,] athletic fields, a dog park, group camping areas[,] sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing" and, in the summer, the Sunrise Lake Beach Club, a water obstacle course, a flume, paddleboat riding, and fishing. The park was named for Lewis Morris, the first Governor of New Jersey (according to some sources) while it was part of Britain's Thirteen Colonies.
Since 1962, the Morris County Park Commission developed buffer areas and programs to protect the Great Swamp from urban development.{{Cite book |last=Senate |first=United States Congress |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cKEGFwdLIFgC&dq=%22morris+county+park+commission%22&pg=RA9-PA40 |title=Hearings |date=1968 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=40–41 |language=en}} The following, the Morris County Park Commission constructed a nature education center on part of the {{convert|556|acres}} of the Loantaka Brook Reservation.
Circa 1973, Myers, a landscape architect and MCPC's Secretary-Director,{{Cite book |last=Senate |first=United States Congress |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cKEGFwdLIFgC&dq=%22morris+county+park+commission%22&pg=RA9-PA40 |title=Hearings |date=1968 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |language=en}} had weekly tea for years with Morristown farmer Caroline Foster. In 1973, they arranged for Foster to bequeath her farm estate to the MCPC.{{Cite book |last=Hoskins |first=Rebecca |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/709909049 |title=Caroline Foster and Fosterfields Living Historical Farm : a life and a legacy |date=2010 |publisher=The Friends of Fosterfields Living Historical Farm and Cooper Gristmill |others=Ralph Iacobelli, Morris County Park Commission |isbn=978-0-615-39122-9 |location=Morristown, N.J. |oclc=709909049}} In 1974, farmer Caroline Foster designated in her will that Fosterfields would be bequeathed to the MCPC for use as an educational farm and historic site.{{cite news |last1=Barbato |first1=Joan |date=May 5, 1989 |title=Restoration of "Willows" completed, B1 |pages=B1 |work=Daily Record |location=Morristown, New Jersey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99773382/restoration-of-willows-completed-b1/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415030848/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99773382/restoration-of-willows-completed-b1/ |archive-date=April 15, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Barbato |first1=Joan |date=May 5, 1989 |title=Restoration of "Willows" complete, B4 |pages=B4 |work=Daily Record |location=Morristown, New Jersey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99774101/restoration-of-willows-complete-b4/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415030848/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99774101/restoration-of-willows-complete-b4/ |archive-date=April 15, 2022}}[http://friendsoffosterfields.org/the-farm Friends of Fosterfields: The Farm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723215923/http://friendsoffosterfields.org/the-farm|date=July 23, 2011}}{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Independent |date=August 26, 2012 |title=Tour The Willows in Morristown |url=https://www.nj.com/independentpress/2012/08/tour_the_willows_in_morristown.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325123953/https://www.nj.com/independentpress/2012/08/tour_the_willows_in_morristown.html |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=nj |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Fosterfields Living Historical Farm {{!}} Morris County Parks |url=https://www.morrisparks.net/index.php/parks/fosterfields |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121025355/https://www.morrisparks.net/index.php/parks/fosterfields |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=www.morrisparks.net}} Upon Foster's death in 1979, the Park Commission received the farm.{{Cite book |last=Nadzeika |first=Bonnie-Lynn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t88vrKPxLPgC&dq=caroline+foster+1979&pg=PA21 |title=Morristown |date=2012 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-9280-0 |language=en |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520144257/https://books.google.com/books?id=t88vrKPxLPgC&dq=caroline+foster+1979&pg=PA21 |archive-date=May 20, 2022 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Fosterfields |url=http://www.usgenwebsites.org/NJMorris/general_info/fosterfields.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520144257/http://www.usgenwebsites.org/NJMorris/general_info/fosterfields.htm |archive-date=May 20, 2022 |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=www.usgenwebsites.org}}
In 1979, Myers announced that the commission was opposed to the proposed alignment of Interstate 287. This was due to the environmental detriment to the Sunset Valley Golf Course as well as noise and drainage issues created by the proposed road.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T5k2AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22morris+county+park+commission%22&pg=RA5-PA81 |title=I-287 Completion from US-202 in Montville to New York Thruway in Suffern, Bergen County: Environmental Impact Statement |date=1982 |language=en}}
In 1983, the Russell M. Myers Scholarship was established, named for the first Secretary-Director and later Director of the MCPC.{{Cite web |title=Morristown Students Can Apply for 2 Scholarships from The Land Conservancy of New Jersey |url=https://www.tapinto.net/sections/education/articles/morristown-students-can-apply-for-2-scholarships |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=TAPinto |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Cahill |first=Frank L. |date=2018-01-29 |title=Land Conservancy of New Jersey Renews Its Scholarship Program {{!}} Parsippany Focus |url=http://parsippanyfocus.com/2018/01/28/land-conservancy-of-new-jersey-renews-its-scholarship-program/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |language=en-US}}
In July 2020, WKXW and InsiderNJ reported that Morris County parks saw increased use after Governor Phil Murphy reopened parks during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last1=Alex |first1=Dan |last2=Alex |first2=erDan |last3=er |title=Morris County park closed after visitors leave it totally trashed |url=https://nj1015.com/morris-county-park-closed-after-visitors-leave-it-totally-trashed/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=New Jersey 101.5 |date=16 July 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-03-26 |title=COVID-19: Morris Parks Increased Use– Please Ensure Safety and Follow Rules |url=https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/covid-19-morris-parks-increased-use-please-ensure-safety-follow-rules/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=Insider NJ |language=en-US}}
In 2019, the Morris County Park Commission announced their intention to create a recreational trail looping around the {{convert|700|acres|adj=on}} Boonton Reservoir, a source of clean drinking water for over 300,000 people. Circa 2021, the Morris County Park Commission received the permit. The MCPC expects to break ground in the trail's creation in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Westhoven |first=William |title=Recreation 7-mile loop trail around Boonton Reservoir a step closer to reality |url=https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2021/10/29/boonton-reservoir-trail-break-ground-spring-2022-jersey-city-waterworks/8581706002/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=Daily Record |language=en-US}}
In 2021, the MCPC unanimously voted to authoriz improvements to Lewis Morris County Park in Harding Township. The area receiving improvements is dedicated to Russel Myers, titled the Russ Myers Recreation Area. The "halfmile ADA Accessible loop trail encircling the area...will have an 8’ wide paved surface, a picnic shelter with electricity to accommodate 200 people, landscaping for screening and beautification, and additional parking to accommodate increased capacity, including ADA parking." The estimated cost is $904,000.
List of parks
File:FOSTERFIELDS, MORRISTOWN, MORRIS COUNTY.jpg, a historic site and open-air museum managed by the Morris County Park Commission]]
The below parks and historic sites are overseen by the Morris County Park Commission.{{Cite web |title=Parks {{!}} Morris County Parks |url=https://www.morrisparks.net/parks/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.morrisparks.net}}{{cite web |title=Morris County Manual, 2012 ed. |url=https://www.morriscountyclerk.org/files/sharedassets/clerk/manual/manual-2012-final-web.pdf |publisher=Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders |page=70 |date=2012 |access-date=2022-06-22 }}
=Golf courses=
Morris County is home to four golf courses that are open to the public and overseen by the MCPC, with each offering golf lessons and practice facilities.https://morriscountyedc.org/thrive/parks-and-recreation/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of MCPC operated golf courses{{cite web | url=https://www.morrisparks.net/golf/ | title=Golfing (Book a Time) }} !Golf Course !Municipality !Acreage !Opening Year |
| Berkshire Valley Golf Course
|497 |2004 |
| Flanders Valley Golf Course
|413 |1964{{efn|group=golf|Flanders Valley Golf Course 1 (White-to-Blue)}}/1974{{efn|group=golf|Flanders Valley Golf Course 2 (Red-to-Gold)}} |
| Pinch Brook Golf Course
|102 |1985 |
| Sunset Valley Golf Course
|217 |1974 |
{{notelist|group=golf}}
References
{{Reflist}}