By John Tredrea, Special Writer
LAMBERTVILLE — Public comment on a $300,000 state Green Acres low-interest loan to improve Cavallo Park was scheduled to be taken at a meeting of the Lambertville Recreation Commission, held after press time on Wednesday (Dec. 12).
The city was awarded the 2 percent loan in September.
Several months prior to that, City Council voted to apply for $435,000 in Green Acres assistance for Cavallo Park, located on Mount Hope Street near the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
During that same time frame, the council assigned the city’s Recreation Commission the job of producing a detailed plan on how that amount of money could be used at the park.
The Recreation Commission’s original plan — based on $435,000 instead of $300,000 — called for a new play structure for tots, with slides and climbers, plus an addition to an existing play structure.
That plan also called for a new entrance to the park, with water fountains and an kiosk with information about the park and the city. In this area, there would be a map of the town and information about places in Lambertville and upcoming special events.
Inside the park, under the original plan, would be a pavilion with a fireplace, and an area, available for rent, for barbecues and picnics.
That plan also called for replacing a fence near a pond and installing a fenced “outlook” from which tots and others could safely watch waterfowl.
The mayor is confident that —, even with the scaled-back plan necessitated by having $300,000 instead of $435,000 — the park will be much improved and will be a key asset to the city.
Kick-starting the effort to revamp Cavallo Park was a $10,000 grant from the New Hope, Pennsylvania firm, myYearbook.com. Following that, the Recreation Commission and city architect, Michael Burns, began working on plans for a major upgrade.
Meanwhile, the grassroots group, Friends of Cavallo Park, continues its efforts to improve the park.

