The state plans to expand White Clay State Creek Park.
Gov. John Carney, DNREC, and the Delaware Open Space Council announce that the park in Newark will grow by 275 acres.
This expansion is expected to enhance recreational opportunities, bolster wildlife habitats, and preserve additional open lands in New Castle County.
The project cost is $26 million with $19.5 million coming from the Delaware Open Space Program and $6 million secured from Mt. Cuba Center through the Conservation Fund.
There’s also a $500,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart’s Acres for America program.
Delaware State Parks Director Ray Bivens.
"It's the last large chunk of land that could be added to White Clay Creek State Park,” said Bivens. “It's a 275 acre purchase from the DuPont family. It already borders land that connects to us. We went through a master plan a couple years ago for White Clay - this land was not a part of that - but we've been working on how it's going to be incorporated into the park, and it makes some great connections and certainly going to be a big hit with trails."
There are three land parcels either being acquired or already acquired in three phases.
Phase 1 is about 90 acres acquired in September, phase 2 encompasses about 97 acres to be acquired early this year, and third phase involves around 88 acres to be acquired later this year.
Bivens says when they evaluated this project it was a win across the board.
"And we're looking for large chunks of important habitat, we're looking to connect corridors, it's great if it's existing next to some of our properties to kind of expand, we look at the recreational assets of the property, and this one checked all of those boxes," said Bivens.
DNREC has now acquired 45,000 acres through the Open Space Program with combined state, federal, and partner funds.
