Location
Community Park North lies between Elm Road and
Route 206 in Princeton Township, across Route 206 from the swimming
and recreation complex.
The Park's western boundary abuts Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve,
and its southeastern boundary abuts Route 206. Visitors can reach
the Park from a parking area off Mountain Avenue or from a footpath
that leads into the tract from Route 206 near the Valley Road
traffic light.
Overview
The Park, a generally square tract of 71 acres, encompasses
both wooded ground and open space. The meadow areas contain an
amphitheater and pond, and trails in this part of the recreation
area paved and suitable for wheelchair use.
An interesting feature of the Park's woodlands is the contrast
between the lower land along the southern part of the Park, where
one is struck by the natural competitive mixture of tree canopy,
understory, and ground cover vegetation, and the mature pine
plantation of the northern section. This area, separated from
the lowlands by a sewer pipeline right-of-way, was once farmed.
It now consists of a few Norway spruce and a preponderance of
white pine planted in the 1960s. The pine forest seems cool,
silent, and detached from town, except for the auto/airplane
noise that creeps in.
History
Princeton Township acquired the Community Park North land from
the Harrop Family in 1965, and with federal and state funds created
the pond and amphitheater in the 1970s. In 1992, the area just
east of the Mountain Avenue parking lot was rededicated as Pettoranello,
Italy. For over a century, Princeton has been receiving Pettoranello
artisans, many of whom helped build Princeton University. Over
the years they have contributed greatly to the wealth and well
being of the community. The parking lot, pond, and amphitheater
area have been rejuvenated thanks to the work of scores of volunteers.
Geology and Topography
Located
in New Jersey's Northern Piedmont Physiographic Province,
Community Park North lies at the base of the Princeton
section
of the diabase ridge, and part way up its slope. The ground is
flat at the southern edge along Route 206 and slopes up gently
to the north and west. Maximum grade is about 5%. The underlying
rocks are red shale and siltstone, and they lie near the soil
surface. The soils are silt loams and are highly eroded
on the hillsides,
with gullies revealing the shale bedrock. Along the streams and
pond soils are poorly drained, particularly in the spring and
summer.
Vegetation
Along the stream, pond, and parking lot, there are many alders,
red maples, white ash, black walnut, and box elder trees. A few
white oaks, hickory, and pin oaks can also be found here, and the
understory is quite varied, too. Flowering dogwood, sassafras,
spicebush, barberry , blackberry, Tartarian honeysuckle and wild
grape are all found here, along with some ferns, skunk cabbage,
and grasses are ground cover. Wildflowers are most prevalent in
the meadow area, where spring and summer bring garlic mustard,
yellow mustards, milkweed, buttercups, dandelions, peppergrass,
shepherd's purse, chicory, and climbing Japanese honeysuckle.
Wildlife
The pond is fished regularly by local fisherman for sunfish
and catfish species. Crayfish are present in the stream. Presumably
there is mosquito breeding in the wetlands and the upper reaches
of the pond. The stream below the pond has many minnows and waterstrider
bugs.
The woodlands harbor rabbits, gray squirrels, chipmunks, muskrats,
and heavy populations of white-tailed deer. Wild turkeys and
pheasants have also been observed. Large numbers of bird species
summer in the park, including robins, wood thrush, common yellow
throats, phoebes, towhees, tree swallows, kingbirds, flycatchers,
cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds, catbirds, and cuckoos. Other
species, such as cardinals, song sparrows, starlings, flickers,
downy woodpeckers, and red-bellied woodpeckers are year-round
residents. Crows are particularly numerous in this park.
More Information
Contact Princeton Township Recreation Department for information
about skating on the Community Park North pond in winter
months, and entertainment scheduled in the amphitheater
on summer evenings.
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