An online petition that asks East Windsor officials to make improvements to the municipal parks – from replacing worn-out playground equipment and broken benches, to making repairs to the tennis and basketball courts – has gained more than 840 signatures since it began circulating in early August.
“We, the taxpaying citizens of East Windsor, are saddened and angered by the long and steady decline of our township parks, (and) we deserve to have quality public parks,” according to the Revitalize East Windsor Township Parks petition posted on Change.org.
“We see other townships, many that pay significantly less in taxes than we do, that have far superior parks systems with more amenities including bathrooms, exciting and innovative playgrounds, paved trails comfortable for biking riding, and good sports facilities,” the petition says.
Many East Windsor residents choose to visit parks in other towns “because by comparison, our own township playgrounds can, at best, be described as tired, worn, sun-bleached and lackluster,” the petition states.
Township officials are aware of the parks’ shortcomings, and they have been discussing maintenance and equipment needs at the township parks over the past few months, Mayor Janice Mironov said in response to the petition.
The Change.org petition stated that the condition of public parks influences residents’ perception of the quality of life in a community. Parks and recreation services are often cited as one of the most important factors in surveys of how livable communities are.
The petition cited broken benches, picnic tables in poor condition, broken trash cans and cracked sidewalks and parking lots in many of the parks.
The petition also listed specific issues in several parks, including the overgrown arboretum, poorly maintained bathrooms and a hole in the rock climbing wall – all at Etra Lake Park.
At the Woods Road Community Park, the gazebo roof should be replaced and the basketball court lines should be repainted. The basketball nets should be replaced, and new playground equipment should be installed.
At Anker Park, residents would like to see the pond restored. It is barely visible through the overgrown vegetation along its banks, and invasive cattails have been allowed to flourish. The pond was popular with residents for fishing and for watching the ducks, but it has become a marsh.
“Frankly, it’s sickening and depressing to see what our pond has become,” the petition states.
The tennis courts need repair at Westfield Park and Veterans Park, and the uneven steps from the street down to the tennis courts at Wiltshire Park need to be repaired. The non-functional water fountain at Veterans Park should be removed, the petition said.
The petitioners also would like more pavilions, suggesting that they could be placed at Etra Lake Park and Woods Road Community Park.
It was also suggested that a dog park could be created at the Woods Road Community Park, or on Disbrow Hill Road across from the Etra Lake Park.
In response, Mironov said township officials appreciate the residents’ comments, and that many of the suggestions have merit.
But the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the difficulty in hiring seasonal help for the past few years, has affected the township’s ability to maintain the parks, she said.
“East Windsor elected officials have raised and been discussing maintenance and equipment needs at our township parks over the past months, and we have directed some immediate park improvements,” Mironov said.
Township officials have filed state grant applications for funding to buy equipment and to make repairs at Anker Park and Wiltshire Park, she said.
The East Windsor Township Council is finalizing its 2021 capital program, which will include park purchases and improvements, including some for Westfield Park, Mironov said.
“Our parks are an important part of our neighborhoods and community, and we are committed to taking needed actions so they can continue to be enjoyed by our residents,” Mironov said.