Milford Chronicle
MILFORD — The scenic Mispillion Riverwalk will have an extension on the east end, one that includes a 135-foot pedestrian bridge to Goat Island.
Work is expected to start in early spring, as city Parks & Recreation officials are now in the midst of pre-construction meetings.
The bridge will link land, previously owned by Joseph Warnell and donated to the city for green space, to the 9-acre Goat Island in the Mispillion.
That parcel is located between Fisher Avenue and Marshall Street on the Sussex County side of the river.
The $240,000 bridge will be prefabricated construction, but when finished it will not allow free access to the island.
"It should be done by June 30. We’re pretty enthusiastic about it, but it should be basic," said Gary L. Emory, the city’s parks and recreation director.
It will be gated, and opened for scheduled tours.
"That really saves on permitting and the price," Mr. Emory said.
In addition to the bridge, a new 1,000 foot walkway of exposed aggregate, or a pebbly concrete, in the area is another component of the planned expansion.
"No brick pavers, but it will look nice and be nicely landscaped. It’s a true connector, and that’s what that end of town needs," he added.
Mr. Emory calls the project "a work in project."
He said that $90,000 in state funds have been set aside for the walk-way portion of the project.
Bill Pike, the city’s arborist, has already started a reforestation project in the Walter Street area, and envisions an arboretum and interpretive nature center, an energy-efficient building using solar panels.
"It has to be an example," he said.
Mr. Pike has already constructed a frog pond in the area, one that will also be used by turtles and ducks.
One day, he hopes the site will also serve as a launch for kayaks and canoes to travel the Mispillion.
Discussions are ongoing about enhancing ecotourism opportunities with boat rides to and from the duPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor.
Goat Island will be the next program on the city’s green list.
Current plans call for constructing an elevated boardwalk around the island.
"It will be a different type of construction," Mr. Pike said.
"It will not be pressure-treated lumber, but screw-in piling that won’t disturb plant roots. It’s a wetlands-friendly product and should last 25 years."
Creating the Riverwalk has been an on-going project for more than two decades.
"It’s been a long time coming. It goes back to when Ruth Ann (former Gov. Minner) was senator," Mr. Emory said.
He said discussions about water-based recreation started in 1976, and sheathing the banks started in 1981 "to keep the buildings from going into the river."
Work moved forward in conjunction with construction of the library in 1991.
"We had to get money when it came available," Mr. Emory said.
"We say it’s a bridge to the future."
