Having championed the preservation of open land along the Peckman River in Little Falls, once known as the Alfieri tract, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) praised the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders for appropriately renaming this public property the ‘Passaic County Peckman Preserve.’

“It is about time we move away from the negative connotation associated with this open land and embrace it for what it is--the Passaic County Peckman Preserve,” stated Pascrell.  “I fought long and hard with Passaic County to stop overdevelopment on the riverbank, purchase this land, and turn it over for the people of Little Falls to enjoy in its natural state.  I am pleased with the progress Little Falls is making with the state and county to enrich the preserve’s landscape.”  

With the imminent threat of development looming over a 12 acre tract of land along Wilmore Avenue in the Spring 2005, Pascrell secured federal funding to initiate Passaic County’s purchase of the land and commitment to its preservation.  The land was officially purchased from a developer in June of 2005 ending the potential for increased public safety and environmental hazards along the flood prone Peckman River.

Plans are currently in the works between Little Falls, Passaic County and the State of New Jersey to create a new passive recreational area with walking paths and trees.

“I am pleased to see the advancement of smart planning along the banks of the Peckman.  In 1999 we all saw firsthand how an overdeveloped floodplain can devastate a community when Little Falls lost a resident in dangerous flood conditions.  The formal acknowledgement of this preserve is an important complement to my work with the Army Corps of Engineers in managing floods along the Peckman River,” concluded Pascrell.

###