From Inventory of Regional Recreation:
Delaware-Raritan Canal Park
"The Delaware-Raritan Canal Commission [see note -ed] has completed a master plan of park facility improvements for the entire length of the park including the Kingston access point. The plan proposed phase one improvements to several other locations with limited visitor access while the Kingston site is scheduled for phase two improvements. The current volume of visitor use at this location is one of the park’s greatest both during the week as well as on the weekend, with a wide variety of activities. Facilities include parking, hiking or biking along the towpath and canoe rentals [now discontinued -ed]. The park is on the Rt. 27 bus route to New Brunswick and New York and has frequent weekend visitors from both.
"The abandoned Conrail line green belt crosses the park and is being acquired up to the Cook Natural Area by the state. The Township of South Brunswick plans to acquire the portion from there to the Town Center with Green Acres funds.
"The canal commission’s plan encourages the preservation of stream corridors, acquisition of linear park connectors, preservation of the character of the canal park and its structures, which is in keeping with the goals and objectives of this master plan.
"The master plan supports the state’s plans to increase the recreation potential of the canal park and in preservation of a valuable historic resource."
From Inventory and Recommendations for Improvements of Open Space Parcels:
[Referring to the district south of Raymond Road]
"The Township open space consists of two parcels off Raymond Road at Cleveland Lane (Block 97/Lot 23) (which is a wooded stream corridor on Carters Brook [see note -ed]) and the second on Dana Court (B. 97.04/28), which is a grassed detention basin. The Cleveland Land tract should remain in its natural state with additional acquisitions along the brook. The Dana Court tract could have a gravel pedestrian trail around the basin with a sitting area and landscaping at the cul-de-sac. [this is the square area on our map -ed]
"The proposed acquisition of the abandoned Conrail line for a pedestrian/bike path will connect Heathcote Park to State park lands and serve as a catalyst for conservation of lands along Heathcote Brook. The creation of a green belt at this location is an urgent need to facilitate bike/pedestrian movement along a conservation corridor…."
[Referring to the district north of Raymond Road, but south of Little Rocky Hill]
"Open space parcels in this district are not suitable for the development of recreation facilities at present, however.[sic] Additional lands should be acquired or donated and joined to these in order to accumulate suitable land for recreation. The largest tract is on Douglas Drive [the crescent road north of Raymond Road -ed] and is adjacent to proposed residential development on the future Route 522 (96.02/3) [Princeton Walk development -ed]. Proposed residential development in the district should be connected via parcels along both the Heathcote and Carters Brooks."
[NOTES: The correct name is the "Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park" and the "Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission"; the modern spelling is "Carter Brook"- ed]
Commentary:
Since 1986, South Brunswick Township has acted on many aspects of this master plan. With Middlesex County, they have acquired "Heathcote Park Extension" (also called "County Park"), an 85+-acre tract between Carter Brook and Heathcote Park. This is in accord with the plan for "the preservation of stream corridors" as well as "the creation of a green belt". The Township and State have also acquired much of the Conrail line, except for portions west of Ridge Road.
The Princeton Walk development does not have a recreational land connector with Douglas Drive, though they do share access to an area of wetlands. It is hoped that a new connector can be created east of Douglas, on a new road, Sandor Drive. There is no public access open space in Princeton Walk, though Route 522 does have a sidewalk system.
The canoe rental business left Kingston in the mid 1990’s, not for lack of business. The Kingston Lock Tenders House, where the business was based, is now a ranger station and home to the Kingston Historical Society. Canoe Rental is available in Griggstown and at the Princeton Turning Basin, in Princeton.
Even without the canoe concession, the Kingston Lock has increased in popularity as an access point for the D&R Canal State Park. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/forestry/parks/drcanal.htm
South Brunswick is revising the Master Plan in the year 2001. The KGA is working on a series of recommendations to the township.