“The hospital operated between 1931 and 1998, when it was closed by the State,” said Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone. “Today we are announcing the land management transfer of the property from the State of New Jersey to Monmouth County. The Monmouth County Park System will be developing plans to use the property for passive recreation such as walking and hiking trails, and our goal is to have the trails available to the public before the end of the year. We look forward to welcoming visitors to this new parkland and encourage visitors to learn more about our County Park System at monmouthcountyparks.com.”
“This effort has been a collaboration of many parties on the local, county and state levels,” said Commissioner Ross F. Licitra, liaison to the Monmouth County Park System. “When we preserve open space, it attracts people to Monmouth County and when people are in Monmouth County, they support local businesses. As a resident of Marlboro, this preservation adds to the fabric of living in a great community.”
“This particular property will put us over 75,000 acres preserved out of 350,000 acres,” said Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioner, Michael G. Harmon. “The County Commissioners have told us they are going to raise funds and preserve open space, and they do, and the Recreation Commission is dedicated to preserving open space.”
“When I took office in 2008, the cleanup and preservation of the former Marlboro State Hospital property was a key part of my 100-day plan,” said Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik. “As a lifelong resident, I have always known how important preserving these 411 acres was to our community. In November 2011, I stood alongside State, County and local officials from both parties at Big Brook Park to announce a landmark agreement to remediate and preserve the property as open space.”
“Today, it is with great pride that I stand here with Monmouth County officials, including Commissioner Director Arnone and Commissioner Licitra, to celebrate the transfer of control of 411 acres of green space in the heart of Marlboro from the State to Monmouth County,” said Mayor Hornik. “This achievement would not have been possible without the collaboration of state, county and local leaders, and I am grateful for their commitment to preserving open space in Marlboro. I look forward to the creation of Marlboro County Park - a legacy for families to enjoy for generations to come.”
The announcement was live-streamed on the Monmouth County Government’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
For news and alerts from Monmouth County, go to visitmonmouth.com or follow @MonmouthGovNJ on Facebook X and Instagram.
