Council Moves on Park Improvements

The Township Council approved a resolution Monday that will allow the Pine Ridge Park improvement project to move ahead.

The resolution awards $940,848 to Green Construction of South River to renovate and rebuild portions of the 5.13-acre park.

As part of the plan, two existing tennis courts will be removed for two new ones, a handball court will be removed for a basketball court, the baseball field - used mainly for T-Ball - will get drainage improvements and the parking lot will be reconstructed, according to Greg Potkulski, township manager of Engineering Services. The township also plans to separately purchase new playground equipment for an additional $55,000 to $60,000 through a state contract with Game Time.

To offset some of the cost of renovations, the township has received $500,000 from the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The money came as part of an open space contribution and after the township requested that that contribution be given specifically for the Pine Ridge project. In addition, the township’s engineering department will be overseeing the project, rather than calling in an outside vendor.

Potkulski said the township is waiting for soil approvals and hopes to start work on the park in May, with much of the work to be done before the end of the summer, weather permitting.

Before the approval, Councilman James Wendell questioned the need for the renovations, citing cost concerns, the exiting condition of the facilities and the apparent lack of use the baseball field gets.

“It seems like an awful lot of money to be spending right now in a very difficult time, and if we’re not obligated to match the $500,000 that the county has given us, I'd like to see us pare this project back and do it in phases,” Wendell said.

“I went and looked at these tennis courts, the tennis courts have one crack on them. We can mill and pave that crack. There’s no sinking, there’s no settling…the parking lot seems to be in fairly good shape, the curbing is in excellent shape. Drainage issues? We can regrade and do the drainage,” he continued.

“It just doesn’t seem like redoing the parking lot and the tennis courts and all that is going to benefit the park,” he said.

He also said the township’s engineering department’s time might be better spent on other projects. However, Potkulski said there is no overtime associated with the project and Mayor David Stahl said that it is part of the department’s regular duties to handle projects such as this. Potkulski also said that going back to the drawing board would mean that work would not begin for at least a year and could open the project back up to more fees associated with designing a new plan.

Other councilmembers disagreed.

“This is the last of a series of park projects. Residents in this area were adamant in that they were feeling that they were not getting a fair shake with their park area and that is why there was a commitment to finish this park and get it going,” said Councilwoman Nancy Pinkin.

 “I hate to disagree with you Councilman Wendell, but in terms of this budget, in the public trust, when you consider the location, when you consider the problems that particular neighborhood has gone through, I would desperately try to find an equal amount somewhere else (to use for the project). I think backing out now, I think this would be a heartbreak for them,” said councilwoman Camille Ferraro.

Mayor Stahl also lobbied for the project.

“I firmly believe that we have a commitment to residents of Pine Ridge, and it’s no different from any other neighborhood in town. Everyone is entitled to protect their property values, every neighborhood in our town, quite frankly in my opinion, is entitled to get amenities from the township that are on par with every other area of the township.

“My standpoint is, and I’ve said it before even, when we introduced the budget, a governing body has to continue to make investments in the infrastructure of the town and this is an infrastructure project, no different from doing a water line, no different from a sewer line.”

However, Wendell said that although he likes the project, he thinks it's too expensive.

"I think it's a great project and think it needs to be done, but I think it's too expensive to do at this time," he said before voting against the resolution.