Township Makes Pitch for Park Improvements

The West Caldwell Council will introduce a $1.5 million bond ordinance on Tuesday, July 3 that would pay for a number of proposed renovations and improvements to recreational facilities in the township.

Councilman Dominick Aiello, Chairman of the Recreation Committee, said at Tuesday's council meeting that the intention of the renovations are to make the park "more user friendly."

Aiello explained new lights at the baseball fields, for example, will allow for more access, especially since a new 

He also said the down payment for the proposed renovations has already been accounted for in the township's capital improvement budget. 

"We need infrastructure improvements to carry us for years and years," he added.

West Caldwell Recreation Director Gabe DiMasi, who attended the meeting, said, "Memorial Park is the centerpiece for the community. We want to have more kids playing on the fields."

Residents who live in the neighborhood of Memorial Park were being sent a letter this week outlining the proposed renovations to Memorial Park.

Some of the recreation proposals include:

• Replacement of outdated and out of code playground equipment
• Improvements to the field house
• Improvements to basketball court, making it a regulation court
• Adding picnic benches in the playground
• Replacing lighting at tennis courts and reconstructing the tennis court grounds
• Installing lighting at the baseball fields with lighting similar to that used at the
• Installing new bleachers and a dugout and adding a new scoreboard

In addition to the renovations at Memorial Park, the proposed ordinance will include field improvements and dugouts at . The installation of lights at this field will not be considered until lights have been installed at Memorial Park.

Other proposed changes, which include connecting the road from the  field and the installation of bathrooms and a snack bar, are not included in the proposed ordinance. 

Aiello said the council wants to "shore up" an agreement with the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education (BOE) before proceeding with these plans. These proposed agreements were to be discussed by the council Tuesday night in closed session.

Aiello also noted he and DiMasi had met with Caldwell Mayor Ann Dassing and Caldwell Councilman Richard Hauser to discuss joint projects. Items that were discussed at this meeting included the recent at the  and the proposed installation of security cameras, the use of parking lot facilities at and a joint membership plan for Caldwell and West Caldwell residents which would include the and the two West Caldwell pools.

Aiello also reported the the bank account established for rental fees at the Oval currently holds $40,000. These funds will be used for maintenance at the Oval.