GUEST COLUMN

Commission’s charge: Find usable land for recreation

The Millstone Township Recreation Commission has been set up as a government body to provide programs for every resident — children and adults. In recent years, the recreation commission has successfully implemented many new programs that have kept pace with the growth in the township.

These programs include everything from yoga for adults to summer camp for children. We are focusing on organized sports and more activities that are informal. With the inception of these new programs comes a demand for land and facilities to conduct them on.

We have tripled the activities of the summer recreation camp, but we need room. Football needs practice fields, soccer’s needs are growing and our three new programs, lacrosse, field hockey and roller hockey, are in demand. In addition, we want more passive areas such as bocce courts, horse riding and walking trails and areas to relax and meet other residents.

Recently the Millstone Township Committee gave a charge to the recreation commission to assess the availability of land the township owns which could possibly have recreational value.

As part of this charge, we are looking into Green Acres funding to help pay for the facilities and upgrade the ones we have. We have met with the open space committee and are looking to see where funds can be helpful for beautifying some of the land we currently own and make useful.

Obviously, some pieces are good for recreation and others are not. The idea was to let the recreation commission assess the lands first and then make recommendations to the Township Committee.

We at recreation felt this would prevent using the wrong piece and wasting time and money. Mayor Cory Wingerter recently asked for support from residents who have expertise in many different areas. The recreation commission is comprised of those residents.

This makes sense to us, as letting those who know the subject matter look at situations first will allow the Township Committee to make an informed decision. The recreation commission has asked for the residents’ input in openly discussing pieces of land. There are always pros and cons for using any piece of land.

The recreation commission wanted the residents to sit down and discuss this together. This forum would allow people to better understand what recreation wanted to do with the land, rather than hear rumors about it. The Township Committee should allow this process to take place.

If the township officials decide themselves what to do with the land, then they have that right. However, it is their responsibility to do something about it now. We do not have years to wait for some costly park that will be debated for years.

Recreation would, of course, love to have the best facility available to it, but the fact is that it takes a commitment from the town for money and it also will invoke neighbors, wherever this piece of land is to be considered. We believe that should the opportunity present itself, that the township (should) always be ready to plan for the future with a park for Millstone.

However, we need room now. There are some very good pieces we can use very effectively, within our budget.

A newspaper reported that a resident felt the recreation commission was not receptive to his discussions at the last meeting and the commission was rude. The recreation commission listened to a lot of people that night but informed those present that we had called a special meeting to discuss land.

There were some pressing program issues that needed to be dealt with at that meeting. This was not rude but trying to deal with time in an effective way. It does no one any good to be mean-spirited toward any volunteer. We care for all the people in the town and want to do the right thing. That is why we are studying the issue.

This is not about taking sides. The Township Committee has the power to handle this situation any way they prefer. What we do not accept, however, is misguided statements from anyone associated with the government or town. The rhetoric needs to stop and the work to begin.

Don Powell, Jim Kronenthal, Ray Noonan, Helen Varvi, Phyllis Guiliano, Kathy Locke and Ruth Wall are members of the parks and recreation commission in Millstone Township.