BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer
Shrewsbury SHREWSBURY — A resolution approved last Tuesday will allow the borough to add two acres to the Robert Graham Athletic Fields on White Street.
The Borough Council agreed to purchase the land adjacent to the athletic fields for $350,000. “This all happened over the weekend because the owner of the property has agreed to sell to the borough,” said Mayor Emilia Siciliano.
“We’ve been wanting to purchase that land for a long time,” she added.
The borough will purchase the land from the executors of the Elizabeth Farrell estate using a matching grant of $175,000 from the Monmouth County Open Space Grant Program with the balance coming from the borough’s Open Space account.
The Shrewsbury Planning Board confirmed the adoption of the Recreation and Open Space Plan on Aug. 21, 2002. At that time, the plan recommended acquisition of the parcel. On Jan. 21, 2003, a public hearing was held for the proposed acquisition.
“The property will serve as a buffer for the residents who live adjacent to the compost area that the Department of Public Works operates,” Siciliano said.