A n advocate for the F. Bliss- Price Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary in Eatontown is calling for an ad hoc committee to be formed to improve conditions at the 47-acre park.
Sara Breslow, a member of the borough’s Environmental Commission, told the Township Committee during the Feb. 26 workshop meeting that the arboretum is in poor condition and lacks upkeep.
She asked Mayor Gerald Tarantolo to permit a new committee to be formed to oversee the arboretum, a passive recreational park that features specimen trees, 3.5 miles of trails and a variety of wildlife.
Breslow said in an interview that, if approved, the committee would look at the borough’s 1995 master plan to determine what work has not been done at the arboretum. The committee would also look at different ways the preserve can be maintained and improved.
“There are memorials in there that people don’t even know about,” said Breslow. “Of course, there are major projects like fallen trees being taken care of, but nothing else.”
The Eatontown Borough Council is considering forming an ad hoc committee to oversee improvements to the F. Bliss-Price Arboretum, a 47-acre recreational park with 3.5 miles of trails and specimen trees. FILE PHOTOS Breslow said the idea for the committee has been discussed before and may finally become reality with the support of the mayor.
The committee would consist of two representatives each of the shade tree and environmental commissions, one from parks and recreation, one from the Green Team and two members of the community.
“I wanted to include members of the public to get their input, as well,” Breslow said. “Good ideas can come from anywhere.”
Committeeman Kevin Gonzalez would act as liaison to the new committee.
“What we’ve done [to maintain the arboretum] in the past was team up with the Shade Tree Commission and tried to work on things, but there just wasn’t enough [people] when it came down to it,” Environmental Commission Chairman Ed Dlugosz said in an interview. “So, with Sara [Breslow] as the advocate, she asked if it would be OK to start up this multifaceted group and now we’re going from there. … The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Shade Tree Commission have done some work in there, but let other portions deteriorate. The bottom line is that there’s a lot to do.”
Dlugosz said some names have been submitted for consideration, and the group would meet later this month to hold an organizational meeting.
Aside from benefiting the public, Dlugosz said the arboretum holds a special place in his own heart.
“I have had a love for the park for the 40 years I’ve lived here,” he said. “I brought my kids there. and they brought their kids there. It’s a cool place going back to the turn of the [20th] century. … It’s a wonderful learning spot and a gem right in the middle of town.”
The last proposed major updates to the arboretum were in mid-February 2012, when the Shade Tree Commission applied for a $25,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection Recreational Trail Program. The grant would have been used to repair the main trail and widen it to be wheelchair-accessible, provide an informational kiosk and add signage throughout the passive recreation area.
According to Breslow, the commission was denied the grant, and the proposed improvements were never made.