SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Holding hands along the canal

by Davy James, Staff Writer
   Volunteers are being sought to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the D&R Canal, and all that’s being asked of them is simply to hold hands.
   The East Coast Greenway Committee and the Kingston Historical Society are seeking to line up thousands of people to hold hands for 10 minutes along the canal’s towpath with their Hands Along the Canal event.
   ”The idea is to get people who support and use the park and avid historians to come out for that moment to hold hands,” said D&R Canal historian Vicki Chirco. “Afterwards, they’ll be able to walk the paths and have a picnic.”
   The event is planned for May 9 beginning at 10 a.m. The plan is for the line of people to go from the Millstone Aqueduct to Rocky Hill, which would cover a four-mile stretch. Ms. Chirco said the event is designed to highlight the resource of the canal and its history as a major transportation network for the state in the 1800s and 1900s. She said the canal remains a major draw because of its natural and historical significance.
   ”We hope that people take away a shared sense of knowledge about the park, which has been in existence for 35 years, and the canal with its 175th anniversary,” Ms. Chirco said.
   Following the event there will be live music at the Kingston canal offices and people are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch.
   The event’s organizers ask that people register in advance in order to keep track of parking and from which entrance people will enter the park. Participants are asked to arrive early so they will be in position at 10 a.m.
   The event is free but commemorative T-shirts are available with a $20 donation, which will be divided between the East Coast Greenway Committee and the D&R Canal Watch.
   For more information visit www.handsalongthecanal.com or call 908-405-3357.