HILLSBOROUGH: Skaar, Storipan say more money is needed for recreation

   Jason Storipan and Art Skaar, two candidates in the Democratic primary for Township Committee called for money to be spent for active recreational facilities.
   ”Hillsborough has put aside a lot of open space for recreational activities, but now the next steps need to be taken to make the most out of the space,” the two candidates said in a press release.
   ”We need to invest in our youth and town through investment in recreation fields and opportunities. True, there are other infrastructure needs, but investments in active recreational facilities — sports fields, hiking and biking trails, and playgrounds is money well spent.”
   They said the Township Committee needs to develop a long-term recreation plan that addresses maintaining, improving and expanding the number of sports fields in town.
   ” Better drainage and more fields will help prevent the wear and tear the current fields suffer throughout the course of the year from use and weather,” the release said. “This in turn will allow more programs to use the fields and avoid losing games and practices to inclement weather. Ultimately, the town’s youth will have more opportunities for participation in sports and recreation activities.”
   They said such improvements will allow more use of the fields during the year for things like tournaments, which would help the town’s local economy and sports programs.
   ”Tournaments bring in teams from other towns, which mean family and spectators visiting from other towns,” the statement said. “These visiting teams and the visitors they bring help the local sports programs by paying entrance fees for the tournaments and making purchases from the concession stands. The visiting teams and their visitors help the local economy by coming into Hillsborough and frequenting the local businesses.”
   Mr. Skaar and Mr. Storipan said “there is a real need and desire for recreational activities in the area,” as seen by the 700,000 visitors to the environmental preserve at Duke Farms in the last two years.
   ”This shows that people are coming into Hillsborough for and are seeking out outdoor recreational activities,” they said. “Increasing the options for such activities through the creation of additional playgrounds, hiking and biking trails, and other outdoor activities will provide our community with additional opportunities for outdoor recreation activities and draw in visitors from other communities for the same reasons. This will help combat the all-too-common sedentary life encountered today, especially among our youth, and provide educational opportunities.
   Visitors coming to Hillsborough for recreation will patron local businesses, the two said, thus helping the local economy.