The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The Somerset County Park Commission award winning Putting Course and the Paddle Boats on Powder Mill Pond at Colonial Park in Franklin Township will open for the season on Saturday, May 7.
The Colonial Park Putting Course offers the player gardens and natural landscaping rather than the amusements found at traditional miniature golf courses. Designed over a 1.5 acre site, the course is influenced by the contours and natural characteristics. The holes include fairways ranging in length from 25 to 75 feet with rough, sand and water hazards. To meet the spirit of the American with Disabilities Act, the course has been designed to be fully accessible to players with physical disabilities.
The Putting Course will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 Noon to 8:00 P.M. through Sunday, June 12, 2016 Beginning Saturday, June 18, the facility will be open 7 days a week from 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Fee is $8.00 for adults; $5.00 for youth and seniors; and $2.00 for children under 5 years.
The foot-powered Paddle Boats are available for a peaceful cruise on serene Powder Mill Pond on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 Noon to 8:00 P.M. Beginning Saturday, June 18, the boats will be available 7 days a week from 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Fee is $10 per half hour and $10.00 per person for the Putting Course and Paddle Boat Combo. A boat with hand pedals is available for persons with limited mobility.
Colonial Park, a 680-acre general use public facility, includes scenic frontage on both the historic Delaware and Raritan Canal and the Millstone River. The facility includes the Knob Hill picnic area that will accommodate up to 150 and the Pine Grove picnic area with adjacent softball field that will serve as many as 250 people. These facilities are available by reservation.
The park also includes a 1.4-mile fitness course, three stocked ponds, a softball field, and the Lois Howe Nature Trail. The Tennis Center features eight all-weather courts.
Gardens and horticultural displays are found at the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, the Fragrance and Sensory Garden, and the Perennial Garden.
Pets and their owners are invited to the fenced leash-free dog area adjacent to the 18-hole award-winning Spooky Brook Golf Course.
Information on Colonial Park and other Somerset County Park Commission programs and activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org
