Athletic fields at Snyder Avenue Park in Berkeley Heights will be upgraded over the next year with funds approved last night by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The measure approved last night starts the process for design and construction for returfing the multi-use field, plus turfing a baseball field within the facility that is currently natural grass. Once those plans are completed and a project budget is announced, the returfing of the multi-use field is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and turfing of the baseball field by early 2020.
“This is a wonderful County Park, in use all year round by people of all ages,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “Over the past 15 years Union County has turned a former industrial site into a bustling and popular recreation area. It’s been a great investment.”
Freeholder Sergio Granados added: “Snyder Avenue Park is one of our best county parks. Thousands of residents use it every year, and we’re delighted to make these improvements.”
Granados appears in a video with Berkeley Heights officials, including Mayor Angela Devanney, announcing the project here: www.facebook.com/BerkeleyHeightsTwpNJ
“We will be thrilled to see our residents playing on these fields once they’re completed,” said Mayor Devanney, who noted that at the time the fields were initially installed well over a decade ago, she was the Township Administrator. “The fields need to be upgraded. I have been so proud to move this project forward from its beginning days. As a mom, who has served on the PAL Board, I know how important these fields are to the community. We thank the Freeholders for making these improvements.”
Union County will re-grade, stabilize and replace the existing turf on the multipurpose field at Snyder Avenue Park. The field, originally installed in 2010, is used for Football, Soccer and Lacrosse. The grass baseball field there will also be converted to turf.
Once an industrial site, Union County purchased the parkland (17 acres) in 2004, one of the earliest purchases made by the Trust Fund, and one of the largest at that time. The purchase saved it from a plan to develop 259 residential units there.
Most of the 17-acre park is owned and operated by Union County. In addition to the multi- purpose and Baseball fields, it includes walking pathway and trails, two playgrounds and a spray park.