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Derby Awards Those Who Catch First Fish, Most Fish

Photos from annual fishing derby at Grover Cleveland Park in Caldwell-Essex Fells.

The annual fishing derby held at Grover Cleveland Park Saturday attracted dozens of children from all over Essex County who came out for a chance to win prizes and practice their skills.  This year's winners in the first fish category were Jonathan Pucciarello of Caldwell and Cameron Marino of North Caldwell. Prizes were also awarded to "most fish" caught in different age categories.  The remainder of the Essex County fishing derby schedule is as follows: The Grover Cleveland Park fishing derby is co-sponsored by the Roseland Recreation Department.

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Grover Cleveland Park Fishing Derby Set for Saturday

Prizes will be awarded for first fish and most fish caught.

The Grover Cleveland Park pond is stocked and ready for the upcoming fishing derby — as evidenced by the wide mouth bass pictured above caught recently by Mike DeFrance using a fly rod.  The annual derby at the Caldwell-Essex Fells park will take place on Saturday, May 4. Registration begins at 8 a.m., the derby starts at 9 a.m., with prizes awarded at 11:15 a.m. The derby is free and open to children ages 15 and younger, accompanied by an adult. (Sorry Mike, but you're too old!) Children are asked to bring their own fishing poles, bait and buckets. Prizes are awarded for the first fish and most fish caught in different age categories. The remainder of the fishing derby schedule is as follows: The Grover Cleveland Park fishing derby is co-…

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Essex County News

Essex County Unveils Kip's Castle Improvements

County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. Wednesday announced a $1.5 million renovation to Kip's Castle Park in Verona.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. unveiled Wednesday the county’s Kip’s Castle renovation plans designed to bring the century-old home into the 21st century, while maintaining its historical integrity. “We have restored the roadways, paths and lighting with grant money from Green Acres and open space,” said DiVincenzo. “We will complete phase after phase until it looks like it did in 1902.” This next phase of Kip's Castle renovations will include fixing or replacing some of its original stain glass windows, replacing the roof to ensure it remains water-tight to preserve the furniture and decorative paintings, adding some ramps and a chair lift to make the first floor handicap accessible, the installation of a handicap-…

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Essex County News

Project Improves Wheelchair Access to Grover Cleveland Park

Essex County announces addition of ADA-compliant parking spaces, paths and picnic tables at Caldwell/Essex Fells park.

New parkings spaces, a paved path and a picnic area are part of a $155,000 project to make Essex County Grover Cleveland Park more accessible to people with disabilities, county officials announced Monday.  Work began about a week ago to add two van-accessible parking spaces on Buttonwood Court at the Essex Fells end of the park. The spaces are compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA), as are the other improvements underway. A paved path from the parking spaces which leads to a blacktop area where handicap-accessible picnic tables soon will be installed. There will also be new signage and landscaping. The improvements were designed by the Essex County Department of Public Works engineering staff and Sita Construction from Kearny …

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Essex County News

Essex County to Unveil Plans for Grover Cleveland Park

Plans will make county park more accessible for people with disabilities.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. will outline plans to make Essex County Grover Cleveland Park more accessible for people with disabilities at a press conference on Monday, March 18, at noon, at the park. Plans include creating parking spaces compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA), installing handicap accessible picnic tables, repairing walking paths, installing signage and making various landscaping upgrades, Essex County officials said. The announcement will be made at the intersection of Runnymede and Brookside roads, rain or shine.  Due to water main work in the area, Brookside Avenue in Caldwell is closed from Westville Avenue to Cleveland Road. 

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Essex County News

Halloween Parade Showcases Essex County's Dogs

Dog owners came up with creative costumes for Essex County's annual "Strut Your Mutt" Halloween parade and contest.

Who says dogs can't get into the Halloween spirit? This weekend, pet owners showcased their pets and their creativity at two parades sponsored by Essex County. The annual "Strut Your Mutt" Halloween contest took place at Brookdale Park in Montclair/Bloomfield and at the South Mountain Dog Park in Maplewood/Millburn. Dog owners got into the spirit of the occasion—there were dogs in plaid, wearing crowns, dressed as appliances and superheroes for the occasion. The weather was bright and sunny as the canines were walked around two of the county's dog parks for the costume judging. Each year, Essex County and its parks department hosts the "Strutt Your Mutt" parade and contest. Visitors who don't have dogs, but who want to see the animals in …

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Essex County Environmental Center Holds Annual Octoberfest [Photos]

Activities include pumpkin carving demonstrations, nature walks and canoe trips on the Passaic River.

The Essex County Environmental Center held its annual Octoberfest celebration on Saturday. Visitors took canoe trips on the Passaic River and nature walks in Essex County’s West Essex Park. There was a petting zoo, gardening tips, a live beehive display, woodturning and pumpkin carving demonstrations, nature arts and crafts and display tables from a variety of eco-vendors. Participating in OctoberFest with the Environmental Center were the County’s partner agencies: New Jersey Audubon, Essex County Master Gardeners, Essex County Beekeepers, 4-H Club, Essex County Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Essex County Nature Photographers, New Jersey Woodturners Association and the Essex County Environmental Commission. The Essex County Environmental …

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Essex County News

Essex County Completes Becker Park Project

The 146-acre park in Roseland and Livingston sat undeveloped for more than 40 years.

An Essex County park which has remained undeveloped for 43 years now looks like a million bucks. That’s how much the county spent this summer to improve Becker Park, a 146.73 tract in Roseland and Livingston, to make it safer and more accessible to the public. The work started in May and was completed in three months, the county announced Monday. The county partnered with the Becker Park Conservancy, NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Advisory Board on the project, which was funded with a New Jersey Green Acres grant received by the Becker Park Conservancy and a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund The park land was once part of the Becker Farm, which used the fields to grow …

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Letter: Vandalism at Grover Cleveland Park

The letter submitted by the Grover Cleveland Park Conservancy states "vandalism is impacting the safety and beauty of the park."

An ongoing problem at Grover Cleveland Park, during the day and night, is the vandalism throughout the park especially in the playground and picnic area. In the playground area the swings, the slide and the synthetic surface are damaged and have been replaced before. The water fountains are often filled with dirt and are currently not functioning. The port-a-johns have been knocked over and the doors have been broken. There have been many light bulbs and globes on the paths of the park that have been broken. Unfortunately, the vandalism is impacting the safety and beauty of the park. The park is closed from 10 p.m. to dawn. The Grover Cleveland Park Conservancy

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Essex County News

Verona Park Adds Bocce Courts

Miami Dolphins tight end and former Essex resident Anthony Fasano organizes volunteer campaign to build four bocce courts in county park.

Miami Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano plays his home games down in South Beach, but his thoughts are never far from his hometown of Verona. Verona is so deeply ingrained in Fasano that he returns each year for a golf tournament named after him and run by the Anthony Fasano Foundation. For the last three years, Fasano has sponsored a bocce competition in Montville in Morris County, because that was the nearest place with the four bocce courts available to host the event. Working with Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Fasano organized a volunteer campaign to open up four new courts at Essex County’s Verona Park in time for the annual event last Saturday. DiVincenzo was on hand to welcome Fasano and thank him for his effort, as well…

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