TINTON FALLS – Members of the Tinton Falls Borough Council have awarded a contract to an engineering firm that will design improvements to municipal parks.
On Dec. 1, council members awarded the contract to T&M Associates, the borough engineer, for services related to the borough’s 2021 park improvement program.
Improvements are expected to be made at the Sycamore Recreation Complex, Liberty Park, Riverdale West Park and Hockhockson Park, according to borough officials.
T&M Associates will provide pre-design and design services, prepare engineered construction plans, technical specifications and bid documents, according to the terms of the contract that is not to exceed $148,000.
The firm’s services will include a design phase, construction cost estimate, technical specifications, soil erosion and sediment control certification, and bidding services.
At the Sycamore Recreation Complex, the engineering firm anticipates that authorization, survey and preliminary design will take place this month.
The final design and plan review, advertising for bidding, receiving bids and awarding a contract, a pre-construction meeting and the start of construction are anticipated to take place early in 2021 and construction is scheduled to be completed by mid-June.
T&M Associates anticipates a similar schedule for Liberty Park, Riverdale West Park and Hockhockson Park, with improvements expected to be completed by July.
According to T&M Associates, the improvements to the Sycamore Recreation Complex will expand the playground area with a new rubber safety surface and swing set, extend the park’s pavilion approximately 20 feet, and plant new trees and install mile marker signs and bollard lights along the park’s walking path.
A new basketball court in the vicinity of the existing court and two large pavilions with a new restroom building at the former tennis court area will be constructed.
At Liberty Park, the improvements will resurface the basketball courts and install new equipment and bleachers, construct improvements to the enclosed dog park, demolish and replace the existing playground near the pond, repair an asphalt walkway, install new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant handicap ramps from the parking lot, install a new paver patio area adjacent to the concession building, and construct a new trash enclosure, according to T&M Associates.
The improvements to Hockhockson Park will continue previous drainage improvements by installing underdrain around the perimeter of the park’s first field and between the parking lot and tee ball area.
The existing storage containers will be replaced with a storage building, a new wireless control system for the existing field lights will be installed, new walkways will be constructed throughout the site, new batting cages will be added, concrete curb will be installed along the park frontage, and the park’s driveway entrance will receive Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades and be realigned as a traffic calming measure to reduce speeding into the park, according to T&M Associates.
The improvements to Riverdale West Park will demolish the existing playground and replace it with new features and equipment, expand the parking lot, and construct various upgrades that will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
T&M Associates estimates the improvements to the Sycamore Recreation Complex will cost $1.3 million; the improvements to Liberty Park will cost $427,000; the improvements to Hockhockson Park will cost $324,000; and the improvements to Riverdale West Park will cost $300,500. The preliminary construction cost estimate for the total improvements is $2.34 million.