Improvements in works for three city parks Officials put cost of refurbishing facilities at $430,000

Staff Writer

By carolyn o

Improvements in works for three city parks
Officials put cost of
refurbishing facilities
at $430,000

LONG BRANCH — The city will be using some old money to give a new look to some of its parks.

The city tries to maintain a 10-year rehabilitation cycle for the facilities and equipment in the parks, according to Jacob L. Jones, director of economic and community development. The parks will undergo much needed improvements, including new climbing structures for children before they become a safety issue, he said.

Three parks have been selected as a priority, and Birdsall Engineering, Belmar, has been selected to redesign Vancourt Park, Branchport Park, and Pleasure Bay Fields Athletic Park.

Money to finance the project, according to Jones, is already available from a Green Acres contribution of $900,000, which was awarded in 1992.

Jones noted that the money was originally intended for other projects, "which never materialized."

Those projects included purchasing property behind Seashore Day Care Center, building a marina and boat launch by Manahassett Creek on property currently owned by Mark Caputo, and the creation of a park near Takanassee Lake and a small park at five corners on Broadway.

Because the grant was not being used for its original purposes, according to Jones, "in 1996 the state was prepared to withdraw the money."

But at Jones’ suggestion, with the approval of the mayor, council and the state, the money was placed in a Green Acres Urban Park Development Fund "that would allow us to find another park."

Jones noted that Mayor Adam Schneider’s administration originally earmarked it for the design and construction of the pier. That project, too, did not come to fruition.

In 1998 Jones and several other city officials decided to come up with a "comprehensive plan of attack" for all of the city’s 24 parks.

The plan included a review of projects completed, projects eliminated and new park projects which the city would like to address. That plan was well received by the EPA which made an additional $460,000 available, bringing the fund up to $1.36 million. Jones noted that the additional money came from other municipalities that were awarded funding and had not used it.

Of the total $1.36 million, half is in the form of a grant and half is in the form of a low-interest loan.

Pleasure Bay Athletic Fields will bear the highest price tag of the work on the current agenda.

The city plans to spend $200,000 there to reconstruct the softball field and to add a basketball court, ample parking, a horseshoe pit and park tables and benches.

For Vancourt Park the entire toddler area adjacent to a softball field will be moved to a better location within the 0.92-acre park so there will be "no threat of balls hit in that area possibly injuring a child," Jones said.

"The softball field remains in good condition," Jones said, because it has been maintained by the Little League and by the city’s park maintenance staff, who are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works. The park also will have a basketball court. These renovations are estimated to cost in the range of $70,000 to $80,000.

In Branchport Park — a waterfront park — there have been problems with fencing meant to keep people off the bulkhead. According to Jones, the fence has been repeatedly cut. He said he thinks the cutting is being done by people seeking to gain access to the bulkhead so they can fish from it.

"This could be a safety issue, especially for small children," Jones said. A floating dock also is in the plans to allow easier access when docking a boat. Lights and climbing apparatus will also be installed and replaced at a cost of approximately $150,000.

The city will have approximately $930,0000 left to upgrade other city parks. "We also look to other programs for funding," Jones said. Some other sources for funding park improvements are a Community Development Block Grant, Urban Enterprise Zone funds and city capital improvement dollars, he said.

Jones noted that all three parks are still in the concept stage of design but are expected to go out to bid in about two months, and by the end of next year the parks should be completely renovated.