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The basics:

• $4.08M NJDEP, Union City Green Acres acquisition funds project
• Vacant 17,000-sf building to be demolished
• First new park space in area in about 15 years
• Project aims to boost recreation, health and investment

New Jersey kicked off Green Week 2026 in Union City, where a joint acquisition will help transform a vacant building into a new youth soccer field.

Acting Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Potosnak visited the site April 20 to announce the project with Hudson County‘s Union City and NJDEP’s Green Acres program.

Underscoring the partnership, the event also drew State Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack, along with other state and local officials.

“Community revitalization happens one block at a time, one neighborhood at a time,” said Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

“This project reminds us that Earth Week is a time to not only value the protection of open space and natural resources, but that green spaces come in all shapes and sizes and projects like this make our communities like Union City healthier and more livable.”

Earth Day is April 22. Generally, Earth Week runs April 18–24 in 2026.

Potosnak noted the soccer field will deliver the first park in 15 years to one of the county’s most densely populated communities. “Green Acres has time and time again proven to be a transformative source,” he said.

The Green Acres State Land Acquisition Bureau and the Green Acres Local and Nonprofit Assistance Program partnered with Union City earlier this year to purchase the vacant property. The partners acquired the site for $4.08 million, NJDEP said.

The joint ownership structure allots a 95% stake to the state and 5% to the city. The department said the setup frees municipal resources to demolish the current structure and develop the soccer field.

Situated in the northern part of Union City, the project will remove a long-vacant 17,000-square-fooot building to establish the largest field of its type in the area.

How NJDEP’s Green Acres works

The Green Acres program provides grants and zero-interest loans to municipal and county governments. Additionally, it offers matching grants to nonprofit organizations for open space acquisition and outdoor recreation facility development.

NJDEP noted outdoor recreation spaces support positive health and social outcomes by offering areas for fitness, relaxation and community. They also help drive commercial and residential real estate values, and attracts further local investments.

The department expressed a commitment to advancing equity and environmental justice by creating – and expanding – open space and outdoor recreation opportunities.

The Green Acres Program works with local government and nonprofit partners from application through project completion. Through the Local and Nonprofit Assistance Program, Green Acres has financed the protection of more than 80,000 acres of Garden State space as well as hundreds of development projects. NJDEP says total preserved open space in New Jersey tops 1.67 million acres.

The Green Acres program launched in 1961. Earlier this year, the outgoing Murphy administration signed legislation appropriating $44.4 million to NJDEP to acquire Green – and Blue – Acres lands.

According to the state, as of December 2024 Green Acres has directly protected more than 725,000 acres of open space and parkland. It has funded 1,256 local and nonprofit park development projects statewide.

While the 2026 funding round has closed, NJDEP says it anticipates opening the 2027 program this fall.

The department notes voters have authorized $3.3 billion in Green Acres funding, approving every bond referendum.

As Union City advances the development of its new soccer field, NJDEP said the municipality may explore additional funding options through the program. “This partnership exemplifies how state and local collaboration can transform communities,” said Stack.