Mayor tells children to ‘get your fun now.’
By: Linda Seida
WEST AMWELL New recommendations from the township’s insurer will pretty much take the fun out of playing at Hewitt Park.
"Kids, get your fun now," Mayor Tom Molnar said. "The bottom line is, if you’re a kid, you won’t have fun here."
In 2007, the township will have to post a sign that warns against certain behaviors. Among them: No pets. No bikes. No roller skates. No skateboards.
"I guess what they really want you to do is stand back and look at it and think of the fun you could have," Mayor Molnar said as he recounted a long list of actions the township now is required to post a sign to warn against.
Also, the sign will say, "You must inspect the play area before starting to play," Mayor Molnar read from the long list of recommendations, which included not wearing hoods or sweatshirts with string closings.
The posted sign also should contain commentary on expected behavior, such as: "Play safely and courteously with others;" "No throwing;" at the swings, "Hold on with both hands;" "never swing or twist empty seats;" "never jump off a moving swing;" and remember, "bare feet may cause injury."
Hewitt is a heavily used park, dawn to dusk, especially during baseball season, according to the mayor. The park has fields for baseball and soccer games, basketball courts, playground equipment, a field house and restrooms.
In addition to posting a sign, the township also needs to comply with the insurer’s recommendation to replace the decades-old wooden bleachers at the baseball field with aluminum ones to better meet safety standards, Mayor Molnar said.
Also, the playground must be outfitted with a thick layer of special mulch, which is made of ground rubber tires, according to the mayor. The insurer recommends a layer between 9 and 12 inches.
Mayor Molnar was uncertain of the cost involved. The cost needs to be researched before a proposal is submitted for the 2007 budget, he said.

