Van Hise field should be ready by late summer
Byron Johnson
Park not expected to open until spring ’03
UPPER FREEHOLD — The Township Committee received updates last week on Byron Johnson Park and the Van Hise athletic field.
Byron Johnson Park won’t open for about a year. Van Hise field will be ready by late summer.
"We’re really on track with the park," Deputy Mayor William Miscoski said about Byron Johnson Park, but they don’t want to rush the work. "It doesn’t look like we’ll be open for fall; we’re shooting for spring 2003," he said, adding, "We could push and make it for the fall, but we could really mess up the ground."
Township construction official Ron Gafgen gave the committee an update and overview of both Van Hise field, located on Yardville-Allentown Road across the street from St. John the Baptist Church, and Byron Johnson Park, located on Ellisdale Road near Allentown High School.
At Van Hise, he said, "The grass is perfect; everything is on schedule. We anticipate an Aug. 1 opening for soccer."
He added that fencing should be installed along New Road and along Yardville-Allentown Road for safety reasons, to keep balls from going into the road and having children chase after them. And the parking lot should be expanded from a 50-vehicle to a 100-vehicle lot because the smaller one will not be sufficient.
The proposed fence would be a 4-foot-high chain link of black vinyl with a galvanized base. Miscoski noted that the parking lot is being built on a volunteer basis and "will probably cost the township nothing."
Gafgen said he is formulating policies for the park, using ordinances from other towns as a guide. Miscoski said that Monmouth County Park System Director Jim Truncer sent over ordinances for them to look at in making their decision.
Gafgen also inquired whether the township should purchase equipment such as goals, nets and bleachers or have the Allentown-Upper Freehold Soccer Association buy them.
"The soccer association has already put quite a bit of money into this," Miscoski replied. "They paid for the seeding. The township should buy the goals and nets, but I have a long experience with soccer, and I have never seen bleachers at a soccer field."
Mayor David Horsnall told Gafgen to get prices on goals, nets, portable toilets and other equipment, and the committee would proceed from there. There was also discussion about recycling containers at the parks, and whose responsibility it would be to empty them.
"I think the soccer and baseball associations should do their bit to clean up after the games," said Gafgen.
The question of a storage shed at the site also came up. Gafgen informed the committee that a Sea-Land container, which he described as "not a pleasant-looking sight," had been donated. It was suggested the container could be painted or otherwise aesthetically enhanced.
Gafgen also suggested that the committee decide on a permanent name for Van Hise field, which is currently referred to by the name of the previous property owner. Miscoski said they would like to name it for Mark Harbourt, who started soccer in Upper Freehold years ago.
The name Byron Johnson cannot be changed because of way the property was deeded to the township, he noted.
Miscoski also mentioned that he had spoken to Township Administrator/Clerk Barbara Bascom earlier about mowing the Van Hise site. He said the committee had decided that for the first year, they will contract the mowing out, and they also want to buy a proper mower. Bascom asked Gafgen to give her information on suitable mowers and prices. Miscoski also wondered who would be responsible for mowing a four-acre parcel, which belongs to the county. He said that it had grown up in weeds and "I don’t want to see it get three- or four-feet high." He did not see a problem with the township taking care of the land.
Concerning Byron Johnson Park, Gafgen reported that no maintenance is needed from the township this year, except for the Department of Public Works to pick up litter.
He said the concession stand is "moving along" and should be completed in a month or two. "It’s been done with free labor and donations of material. It’s not costing us much to build that building," he said.
Miscoski concurred that the building had cost the township very little and praised Gafgen and Friends of Upper Freehold’s Lenny Yanchar for their roles. He said that Yanchar had "probably gotten $200,000 worth of material donated." Yanchar said that Friends of Upper Freehold plans to put a sign on the building when it is completed, recognizing the companies and people who contributed.
Asked by resident Beatrice Kniesler whether the K. Hovnanian Company had donated to the project, Miscoski said that they had been required by ordinance to give an initial $600,000, and gave an additional $25,000 to Friends of Upper Freehold.
He added that Hovnanian project manager Bill Cadogan had helped a great deal with the whole process.
Gafgen outlined the phases of the park. First will come the three Little League fields, fencing and bleachers. Next will be the soccer and all-purpose fields for which the sprinkler and irrigation systems are already in place. The well will soon be drilled, and they have a contract for the septic system.
The second phase will include tennis and basketball courts, and the third phase will include a tot lot, bocce courts and walking paths.
"We will do them first class and maintain them first class," vowed Gafgen. He said he would like to see community events, such as concerts, movies, and the like held in the park.
"This is for everyone in town — we will not be negligent in what we do," said Miscoski.
Committeeman Charles Faber said he would like to see Miscoski’s name acknowledged somewhere in the park. "He’s done more than anyone else," Faber said.