Category: Public Info

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today cut the ribbon on the Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail, the first of its kind in the county and the most extensive one in the nation. The trail is accessible to all residents, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings at the Trailside Nature and Science Center.

“We continue to champion equal access and inclusion for all residents, and the sensory trail will be leading the way nationwide,  providing a way to safely experience the outdoors and providingopportunities to interact with nature and learn about the rich history our county has to offer,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.  “We are committed to providing children and adults of all abilities access to recreational opportunities, and as such we also created the Office for People with Special Needs, this year, which is coordinating programs for children at the Sensory Friendly Trail including a Special Needs Summer Camp.”

The trail is open to all visitors, seven days a week from dawn to dusk for free, and is located behind the Trailside Nature and Science Center at the Watchung Reservation in Mountainside.

There are many different components to the trail which is designed to provide sensory stimulation and interaction, and meet the physical, social and cognitive needs of different age groups.

To begin with, the Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail is a 0.3 mile loop with a central gazebo.  The interpretive signage includes two talking kiosks highlighting the natural and human history of the Watchung Reservation.  There are also sounds from nature, including bird sounds, insect sounds, and the sounds of the Lenape Indians, who once occupied the reservation.

The central gazebo has a sensory play area to attract children and encourage exploration and discovery—including a crawl through a log, mushroom steppers, and a balance beam that looks like a tree branch.  

There are also musical components on the trail—including drums, Xylophone, and other items to touch, including wheels and balls, and raised garden beds (sensory gardens for touching and smelling).

The 0.2 mile braille trail loop with guide ropes features multiple stops to learn about the local flora and fauna.   

The nearby Trailside Nature & Science Center will utilize the new Sensory Trail and offer educational programs to allow students and families an opportunity to explore nature and gain a better understanding of the natural world around them. As part of Freeholder Chairman Granados’ “Moving Union County Forward” initiatives for 2018, the Freeholder Board created the Office for People with Special Needs, which has been expanding resources and activities while also working with local organizations to build connections for the betterment of people with special needs.

The trail stretches from the Trailside Center and into fields surrounding the center and there are two outdoor classrooms along the trail (log and acorn searing) where naturalists can gather groups and/or make presentations.

The project was designed by CME Associates Consulting and Municipal Engineers, which is based out of six offices in New Jersey. The project contractor is Pavelec Brothers from Nutley, NJ. The cost of the project is $652,000.

The Freeholder Board continues to champion equal access and sensory friendly opportunities for its residents. As mentioned above,  the Freeholder Board through Freeholder Chairman Granados’ “Moving Union County Forward” initiatives for 2018, created the Office for People with Special Needs, and also the “Level the Playing Field” initiative which is creating sensory friendly and accessible playgrounds in all 21 towns throughout the County—the first such initiative nationally. Last year, the Freeholder Board created the County’s first inclusive playground at Mattano Park in Elizabeth, and several years ago under Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, created the Sensory Friendly Theater series, which continues annually.

CAPTION: Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Bruce H. Bergen and Rebecca Williams joined Union County Manager Ed Oatman, Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner, Union County Parks and Recreation Director Ron Zuber, Union County Department of Human Services Director  Debbie-Ann Anderson, county employees and people with special needs in cutting the ribbon, officially opening the new Sensory Friendly Trail at the Trailside Nature and Science Center at the Watchung Reservation in Mountainside. The trail, which is the first of its kind in the County, will be accessible to all and allow residents to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Press release from the Warinaco Sports Center

Warinanco Sports Center and Union County have partnered yet again to bring another fun-filled, family friendly event to Warinanco Park this summer. The first ever Warinanco Food Festival will be held on Saturday, August 25^th and will showcase over 20 local food trucks and restaurants.

Diners can travel the world without leaving Warinanco Park and indulge in culinary delights such as arepas, egg rolls, empanadas, pad thai, jerk chicken, tacos, goat curry, and jalapeño lemonade. For those who prefer culinary classics, the festival will also feature more familiar dishes such as cheesesteaks, mac & cheese burgers, and fried Oreo’s™.

In addition to delicious food there will be a fun zone with inflatables including a 65-ft obstacle course, baby bounce house, an artisan market, and live music from a variety of musicians including Steel Drummers, Merengue, and local rock bands.

Entry to the Warinanco Food Festival is only $5 per person or $15 per family (family ticket includes 2 adults and up to 4 children). Food prices will vary per vendor. To avoid the lines, you can pre-purchase tickets at www.warinancopark.com/event/food-festival/.

Moving into the Fall season, Warinanco Sports Center will host events such as the popular Sunday Funday BBQ event, the Taste of Fall foodie event, and many more. Check out our website and Facebook page for event updates, and bring an appetite for food and beverages available for purchase from Warinanco Café.

Warinanco Sports Center is open daily to the public from 9am-8pm with the full-service Warinanco Café open daily starting at 11:30am. For a full list of upcoming events, please visit our Facebook page and website. Both platforms will contain event updates and additional events as they are added throughout the season.

For event booking inquiries please contact Rebecca Bird at rbird@sportadvisory.com. The Warinanco Sports Center is managed by the industry-leading sports facility management company, The Sports Facilities Management, LLC (SFM).

###

The Sports Facilities Management, LLC (SFM) and Sports Facilities Advisory, LLC (SFA) are both headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. SFA, founded in 2003, has produced more than $8 Billion in institutional-grade financial forecasts for youth and amateur sports complexes, while SFM provides industry-leading, results-driven management solutions for sports, fitness, recreation and event venues, nationwide. Since 2014, SFM-managed venues have hosted more than 50 million visitors. 
For more information, visit: www.sportadvisory.com

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of monoprints by Debra F. Livingston of Scotch Plains in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “Debra F. Livingston – Works on Paper” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery currently until October 19. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“We have many artistically talented individuals here in Union County and we are proud to have Debra Livingston’s monoprints on display,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The exhibit showcases Ms. Livingston’s skills as a creative printmaker with a wonderful sense of design and use of color. “

Debra F. Livingston is an artist who specializes in creating monoprints and handmade books. She is a printmaker, teacher, docent and mentor. She teaches drawing and painting to adults at the JCC in Scotch Plains as well as printmaking at the Visual Arts Center of NJ and the Baird center in South Orange. Debra has also taught art to elementary students in Essex Fells and Summit for over 15 years. For many years Debra has taught monoprinting at the Union County Teen Arts Festival. She has a BFA in printmaking from Rhode Island School of Design.

One of her monoprints recently won “Best in Show” in the Gaelen Juried art show in Whippany NJ. Over the past year Debra has exhibited her work in several shows in New Jersey, including the Pierro gallery, the Printmaking Center of NJ, the Visual Arts Center of NJ, and the Metrowest JCC gallery. Her work has also been in exhibitions in the Abecedarian gallery in Denver Colorado, the University of Denver library, and the Asheville BookWorks in Ashville, NC. She has had her handmade books in numerous shows throughout the country as well as in the permanent collections of the Tufts University Library, Newark Public Library and the Brooklyn Art library. She has been part of editions in the Museum of Modern Art Library, the National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC, and the Victoria and Albert Museum Book Collection, London, England.

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl St., Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that 63 artists, historians and local non-profit organizations will receive funding through the 2018 Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant Program.

“The recipients of HEART Grants are a wonderful mix of creative individuals – composers and writers, historians, visual artists, musicians and dancers – along with arts, history and cultural organizations and civic groups,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The response to the program has been exciting ever since its inception, and we are looking forward to another season of enriching outreach to thousands of Union County residents.”

The Freeholder Board established the HEART Grant Program in 1998, in recognition of the importance of culture and the arts to the Union County economy and quality of life.

The innovative program supports projects that directly benefit the residents of Union County, that enhance appreciation for the arts, history, and the humanities, and raise awareness that cultural assets are a vital part of community well being, economic development and cultural heritage tourism in Union County.

Total funding for this year’s grants is $100,000.00. The following individuals and groups received awards:

• Brian Beste, Fanwood, $1,000,  presenting photography workshops
• Candace Waller, Fanwood, $1,000,  providing free dance classes
• Dario Scholis, Elizabeth, $1,000,  presenting free painting workshops
• Lesl Harker, New Providence, $1,000,  presenting Irish music workshop and concert
• Lluana Jones, Plainfield, $1,000,  providing theatrical classes for K-12
• Lowell Schantz, Westfield, $1,000,  presenting two free jazz concerts in Union County libraries
• Renaee Smith, Roselle, $800,  providing Writers Café workshops
• Valerie Graham, Roselle, $1,000,  presenting free crafts workshops for children and seniors
• Borough of Fanwood, Fanwood, $1,800,  presenting a Fanwood Cultural Arts Performance Series
• Borough of Kenilworth, $1,500,  provide a fall music and art festival
• Borough of Roselle Park, Casano Community Center, $1,000,  presenting a free Halloween concert
• Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Union, $2,000,  presenting a dance festival
• City of Rahway/Department of Recreation, $1,500, providing studio art classes for children and adults
• Community Access Unlimited, Elizabeth, $1,000,  providing a choral concert of students
• Continuo Arts Foundation, Summit, $1,500,  presenting a holiday concert
• Cranford Housing Board, Cranford, $1,000,  presenting “Three Po’ Tenors” in concert for senior residents
• Cresthaven Academy Foundation, Plainfield, $1,500,  providing an after school music program for children
• Dreamcatchers Repertory Theatre, Summit, $1,700,  presenting the premiere of “Psychodrama”
• duCret School of Art, Plainfield, $2,300,  presenting an art lecture series
• Elizabeth Avenue Partnership, Elizabeth, $1,500,  presenting Hispanic Heritage Month concerts
• Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless, $1,000,  providing art education for homeless
• Elizabeth Public Library, $500,  presenting free haiku writing workshops
• Fair Moon Stages, Rahway, $1,500,  providing musical theater productions
• Groundwork Elizabeth, Inc., Elizabeth, $2,000, presenting 16th Annual Tour de Elizabeth bicycle tour
• Hanson Park Conservancy, Cranford, $600,  presenting “John Bartram Lives” program
• Historical Society of Elizabeth NJ, $1,000,  presenting a history panel discussion
• Historical Society of Plainfield, Plainfield, $1,725,  providing a lecture series
• Institute of Music for Children, Elizabeth, $2,200,  providing arts and culture classes to young children
• Jefferson Parks Ministries, Elizabeth, $2,000,  presenting an art education program for children
• Jewish Community Center of Central NJ, Scotch Plains, $2,000,  presenting a cultural appreciation series for Seniors
• Josephine’s Place, Elizabeth, $2,500,  presenting history programs for immigrant women
• Kenilworth Historical Society, Kenilworth, $1,000,  presenting a Living History exhibition
• Liberty Hall Museum, Union, $1,800,  presenting a dance festival
• Life Drawing Studio Group, Fanwood, $1,800,  providing visual arts workshops
• Music for All Seasons, Scotch Plains, $2,500,  presenting music programs for U.C. Juvenile Detention Center
• National Council of Jewish Women, U.C. Section, Elizabeth, $2,300,  providing two intergenerational programs: a big band swing dance and a jazz band
• New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Westfield, $1,700,  presenting live concert “Home for the Holidays”
• New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, Berkeley Heights, $2,200,  presenting a community concert
• New Jersey Workshop for the Arts, Westfield, $1,000,  provide chamber ensemble concerts
• Occupational Center of Union County, Inc., Roselle, $2,500,  presenting art education classes for people with disabilities
• Overlook Hospital Foundation, Summit, $2,000,  presenting “Healing Caregivers” healing arts program
• Peruvians for Progress, Elizabeth, $2,000,  presenting a free traditional Peruvian Christmas celebration
• Plainfield Symphony Society, Plainfield, $1,600,  presenting a free symphony concert
• Premiere Stages at Kean University, Union, $2,000,  presenting the play “Black Tom Island”
• Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit, $1,600,  presenting concert with jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimee
• Roselle 24/7, Roselle, $1,000,  providing community-based arts festival
• Roselle Park Historical Society, $1,000,  presenting an historical music concert
• SAGE Eldercare, Inc., Summit, $2,100,  presenting free musical performances to older adults
• Saint Theresa School, Kenilworth, $1,800,  providing two student theatrical productions
• Second Westfield Senior Citizens Housing, Westfield, $1,000,  providing an interactive education program for Seniors
• Springfield Free Public Library, $850,  producing a museum exhibit
• Stony Hill Players, Summit, $2,000,  presenting children’s theatrical productions
• Temple Beth O’r/Beth Torah, Clark, $1,100,  presenting a free comedy performance
• The ARC of Union County, Springfield, $2,500  presenting an interactive concert series
• The Theater Project, Union, $2,000,  presenting theatrical performances in Union
• Union County Educational Services Commission, Scotch Plains, $2,025,  providing interactive music programs to students
• Union Township Community Action Organization, Inc., Union $2,500,  presenting Senior Choral performances in nursing homes
• Union Township Historical Society, Union, $1,000,  presenting history programs for students 
• United Youth of NJ, Elizabeth, $2,500,  presenting an historical play about the Harlem Renaissance
• Visual Arts Center of NJ, Summit $2,000,  presenting a visual arts program for older adults
• Westfield Neighborhood Council, Westfield, $2,000,  presenting dance workshops
• Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, Berkeley Heights, $1,500,  presenting an older adult choral program
• YM-YWHA of Union County, Union, $2,000,  presenting the “Y Sunday Brunch Art Series”

Artists, educators, civic and historical non-profit organizations seeking information about next year’s HEART Grant Program can contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone: (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711, or e-mail culturalinfo@ucnj.org.