Gatehouse preservation petition
A petition to preserve the Historic Garden State Park Gatehouse was posted March 22 seeking local support — the social post includes images and a call to action for preservation. (x.com)
Dan Cirucci, a longtime Camden County resident and local writer, is listed as the petition organizer and local news reports say the effort has drawn more than 1,300 supporters to date. (cbsnews.com) The Gatehouse sits on Route 70 at the former Garden State Park site and is the only remaining structure from the racetrack that opened in 1942, according to Preservation New Jersey’s entry and county historical notes. (preservationnj.org) The 10-acre parcel that includes the Gatehouse was put up for sale by the landowner identified in reporting as Penn Entertainment, which prompted local preservation concerns about potential commercial redevelopment. (nj1015.com) Cherry Hill Mayor David Fleisher and Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash have publicly backed preserving the Gatehouse and county officials have signaled the Open Space Preservation Trust Fund is among options under consideration to protect the site. (cbsnews.com) Developers proposed an 89,000-square-foot, multi-level indoor go-kart and entertainment complex that would have preserved the Gatehouse as part of the project, but the Cherry Hill zoning board later rejected the proposal over traffic and parking concerns. (patch.com) The Change.org campaign page currently shows roughly 1,410 signatures with a stated next goal of 1,500, and local coverage says petitioners want township and county leaders to require preservation terms for any sale or to pursue public purchase. (change.org) Preservation New Jersey added the Gatehouse to its endangered list in 2024, emphasizing that the structure survived a 1977 fire and subsequent redevelopment and is now at risk if the property changes hands without protective covenants. (preservationnj.org)
