April 22, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 172

For more information contact Charles Salkin, Director, Delaware State Parks, 302-739-9200, Necia Beck, Delaware State Parks, 302-739-9175, or Beth Shockley, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Fox Point State Park Reopens on Earth Day

A newly restored section of Fox Point State Park, which has undergone nearly 20 years of extensive cleanup, reopened to the public today. The 170-acre park, located off I-495 just north of Wilmington,is known as a “window on the river,” due to its spectacular views of the Delaware River.

The latest cleanup was a joint project among DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation, the DNREC Division of Air and Waste Management’s Site Investigation and Restoration Branch (SIRB) and the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).

“The restoration of this spectacular park gives Delawareans a place to enjoy the outdoors and pursue a healthy lifestyle,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “This project has also helped renew a community commitment to the protection, enhancement and enjoyment of the environment.” 

Officials from the Divisions of Parks and Recreation and Air and Waste Management, DelDOT, members of community organizations, state and local legislators, representatives from New Castle County and others were on hand for the event.

Charles Salkin, director of Delaware State Parks said, “We’re so pleased that cooperation among sister agencies has enabled us to provide the public with hard-to-find access to the Delaware River. Fox Point State Park offers the opportunity to not only enjoy beautiful scenery, but to also be active in a unique setting.”

Decades of dumping both created and contaminated the park with industrial waste and sewage sludge. Cleanup, or remediation, was completed in two phases. The first phase, of the southernmost 15 acres, began in 1993 and was completed and reopened to the public on Earth Day in 1995.  The second cleanup phase, of 45 additional acres, began in 1995 and was completed earlier this spring. Today’s ceremony marked the completion of the second phase of remediation.

 “We have been pleased to work with the Division of Parks and Recreation and DelDOT to bring this long-sought project to fruition,” said James Werner, director of the Division of Air and Waste Management. “Thanks to careful collaboration, planning and coordination, the people of Delaware can safely enjoy Fox Point State Park and its magnificent view of the Delaware River.”

Fox Point State Park is named in honor of S. Marston Fox, an engineer and tireless community advocate who created a campaign in 1958 to turn the land over for public use. Although Fox was not able to see his efforts come to fruition, as DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks noted, “it is an extraordinary event when the dreams of one man turn into reality.”

To complete Phase II of the project, roughly 130,000 cubic yards of clean soil (more than 10,000 truckloads) were transferred from DelDOT’s Glenville Project, a wetland mitigation bank project in a neighborhood experiencing flooding problems. The transfer of the clean soil saved the state more than $2.5 million. Also created during in the Phase II restoration were walking trails, a self-composting restroom facility and a designated river overlook.  Native trees, meadow grasses and wildflowers were planted, providing habitat for wildlife. 

In addition to the new amenities, Fox Point State Parks also features 60 acres of shoreline for walking, jogging, biking and picnicking. There are trails, playground equipment and places to play volley ball and horseshoes.