WILMINGTON, DELAWARE (11/24/2015) The Nemours Foundation has donated nearly 46 acres of land to Alapocas Run State Park, officials announced Tuesday.
The park is located just outside of Wilmington. The wooded area being donated had been part of 70 acres between the Blue Ball Barn and Brandywine Creek placed in a conservation easement in 1999. Nemours is retaining 24 acres protected by the easement.
The announcement was made by Gov. Jack Markell, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary David Small and Dr. Roy Proujansky, the Nemours Foundation’s chief executive of Delaware Valley Operations.
“Alapocas Run State Park is truly an amazing urban oasis to be enjoyed not only by the residents of Wilmington, but also for visitors from the tri-state area and beyond,” Markell said. “This generous donation by the Nemours Foundation, along with newly upgraded trails, will enable more people to experience the beauty and benefits of nature close to where they live and work, strengthening our quality of life while supporting continued economic growth.”
In addition to the land donation, a section of the Northern Delaware Greenway Trail (part of the East Coast Greenway trail that goes from Maine to Florida) and a section of the Bancroft Trail have been upgraded to a paved surface, providing more accessibility and more year-round use and the opportunity to enjoy the mature woods and the rest of Alapocas Run State Park.
The two upgraded trail sections total about one mile. The Greenway Trail goes through Nemours Woods and connects the Delaware River to Brandywine Creek, passing through Bellevue State Park to Bringhurst Woods and Rockwood county parks to Wilmington’s Rock Manor Golf Course to Alapocas Run State Park.
The Bancroft Trail connects Alapocas Run State Park to Brandywine Park and the Brandywine Zoo. It passes through the Brandywine Park Condominiums, Wilmington Friends School and the Augustine Professional Building properties.
The foundation historic Blue Ball Barn, formerly part of the A.I. du Pont estate, is now owned by Delaware State Parks.