$1M contract awarded for Wagner Farm Park
23-acre tract is
located at Baird and
Woodville roads
MILLSTONE — A resolution awarding a contract for phase 1 construction of Wagner Farm Park was approved at the last Township Committee meeting.
After reviewing nine bids, CME Associates, Howell, the engineering firm overseeing the project, picked AIC Construction Corp. of South Hackensack. AIC submitted a low bid of $1,291,000. The highest bid was $1,781,596.
According to the resolution, some items were deleted from this phase of the contract. They include a roller hockey rink and an acrylic color surface system for the rink, aluminum bleachers and two tot lots. The deletion of those items reduced the amount of the bid by $211,000, making the amount of the award $1,080,000.
Although the resolution was approved, final approval of the contract was contingent upon the contractor sending letters regarding his subcontractor’s experience to CME Associates by yesterday’s committee meeting.
According to Chief Financial Officer Robbin Kirk, $2,000,000 is available in the appropriation account, Bond Ordinance 01-33, Improvements to Wagner Farm Park.
The planned 23-acre park will eventually have football, soccer/lacrosse and field hockey fields, an in-line skating rink, a children’s play area, and a pedestrian trail. It will also include a 7,400-square-foot building with room for concessions, restrooms and a teen room.
The park, which is named after the family that farmed the land for many years, is expected to cost below $2 million.
Designed by Greg Velesi of CME Associates, it is located on the corner of Baird and Woodville roads.
The township plans to put a parking lot along a utility easement that runs through the property.
Preliminary plans call for completion of the project by spring 2002.
Wagner Farm is included in the Open Space, Recreation, Conservation and Farmland Preservation Plan as property to be developed for athletic fields and related facilities.
The township’s Board of Parks and Recreation Commission sponsors a year-round program of recreation activities for youths and adults.
They include basketball, wrestling, volleyball, yoga, soccer, Little League baseball and softball, adult softball, Jazzercise, roller hockey, and Pop Warner football and cheerleading.
According to township’s inventory of existing recreation and open space lands, there are presently soccer fields and parking on Stillhouse Road. Called the Brandywine Soccer Complex, there are seven soccer fields there in constant use. There is also a Little League-leased field on Perrineville Road, as well as basketball and volleyball programs at the Millstone elementary and middle schools.