Lewes open space campaign gets new state funding

The campaign to buy Lewes’ Fourth Street Preserve and keep it as open space is about halfway to its fundraising goal.

The effort just got a boost in the form of $200,000 in state funding that was secured by Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes. The money is in the bond bill that the Legislature approved at the end of June.

Pam Costanzi, Fourth Street Preserve campaign manager, made the announcement at a fundraiser held July 1 at the Station on Kings. Owner Leisa Berlin donated all proceeds to the campaign.

Mike Rawl, executive director of the Greater Lewes Foundation, which is leading the campaign, said the evening was a celebration and a call to action.

“We’re celebrating the halfway point in our campaign, but we’re asking for support in the months ahead to complete our goal,” Rawl said.

Costanzi said the campaign has now raised $3,546,855 toward its goal of $8 million.

She said they are now three-quarters of the way toward raising $2 million needed to qualify for a $1 million matching grant from the Longwood Foundation.

Costanzi said they are working with Huxtable on other major state funding opportunities.

She said the campaign’s Race for Open Space 5K in April was the kickoff to getting local businesses more involved.

“We’ve really had robust support. Leisa is the first to sponsor an event like this, but there will be many more,” Costanzi said.

The Fourth Street Preserve is a 29-acre parcel in the city. The land was originally 104 acres when it was the first deeded land in all of Delaware in 1670. 

“As the last forest in Lewes city limits, it is a very important environmental asset. It is a living, breathing part of Lewes and something we need to work on preserving,” Rawl said.

The campaign’s next fundraiser is a fine arts show being curated by Tony Boyd Heron of Peninsula Gallery. The event will be held Saturday, July 27, at the Inn at Canal Square in Lewes. The artists are donating 100% of the proceeds to saving the forest.

There is a separate, ongoing fundraising campaign to save the 89-acre Ard na Greine parcel, just outside Lewes city limits.

Mark Chura, executive director of the Sussex County Land Trust, which is leading that effort, said they have raised $2.5 million of their $9 million goal.

Chura said they do not have any public fundraisers planned, but they are gearing up to seek support from various levels of government and foundations in the fall.