Hanson Park

located behind Hanson House
38 Springfield Avenue
Cranford, New Jersey

 

Hanson Park is a work in progress.

In January of 2004 a small group of Cranford citizens met to discuss the possibilities of restoring this relatively small and very underutilized park which sits on a beautiful stretch of the Rahway River across from the historic Cranford canoe Club. The property had once been owned by Doctor Hanson a notable Cranford Physician. The parkland around the former Hanson homestead had been neglected for over a decade and was a tangled mass of invasive vines and trees.

click to enlargeThe group envisioned a much different park and set out to restore it.  Phase One of that Vision is complete. The park now has a gravel path which winds gracefully down to the river, new lighting and benches.

Plans for Phase Two are now underway and include a butterfly meadow, a central display garden and over 100 mature trees. A demonstration rain garden was constructed by the Union County Master gardeners in conjunction with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The final phase of the plan calls for aesthetic improvements to the driveway and parking areas as well as streetscape improvements along Springfield Avenue.

 

 

This websitehas been made possible in part by a HEART GRANT (History, Education, Arts - Reaching Thousands)
from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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