The Summit Park Line Foundation has received a 200K matching grant from the Reeves Foundation to support its Park Line project, a 1.2 mile linear pedestrian park being created on the abandoned Rahway Valley Railroad line.
The Park Line Foundation applied for a matching “challenge” grant and was required to raise a minimum of $200,000 to receive the funding from the foundation. With grants from the Summit Area Public Foundation, Overlook Foundation, Overlook Medical Center and through a number of generous donations from Summit residents, the Park Line Foundation exceeded the $200,000 goal raising more than $225,000 of the $3.2 million dollars needed to complete the project within a 12-month period, and qualifying for the matching grant.
In early 2016, the City of Summit acquired from the State of New Jersey the rights to build the park accessible for pedestrian and bicyclists. Once completed, Park Line will extend from the edge of the downtown Summit at Overlook Medical Center, along a 1.2 mile path through eastern Summit, ending at Briant Park on the Springfield, NJ border.
The Summit Park Line Foundation and concept was created by Dr. Robert Rubino, former Summit councilman who realized the potential for a park similar to the Highline Park in Manhattan could be initiated in Summit, NJ along the abandoned rail line. Through world-class design, excellence in operations, and innovative and responsible stewardship, the mission of the Park Line Foundation is to engage the community around and about the Park Line, raise essential public and private funding to help complete its construction, and create an endowment for future operations.
“There has been an outstanding expression of support for the Park Line concept from the Summit community,” explains Rubino. “As the momentum for funding of the project continues to build, the Park Line Foundation is extremely thankful for the circle of friends that are helping to carry this important project forward.”
For more information on the Park Line Foundation and the Summit Park Line project or to make a tax-deductible contribution, go to: https://www.summitparkline.org.
