HOWELL – The Howell Township Council will seek funding from Monmouth County in order to make improvements at Winston Park on Redwood Road.
Following a presentation from two professionals on Sept. 5, members of the governing body voted unanimously to submit an application for a Monmouth County Municipal Open Space Grant. Howell officials are hoping to receive $250,000.
Winston Park includes a baseball field, a basketball court and playground equipment.
Ray Liotta and Cristina Reis of Maser Consulting presented a proposal for the grant application during a public hearing.
The proposed improvements would include a paved parking area, security lighting, playground equipment and swings, a resurfaced basketball court, educational rain gardens, an educational arboretum, a community garden or meadow plantings, gazebos with rain guards, walking trails and viewing boardwalks, benches and screen plantings near the closest neighboring homes.
The construction costs amount to $500,000. A $250,000 grant from the county would cover half the total and Howell would pay the remaining $250,000 plus engineering costs, according to information provided during the hearing.
“The baseball field is not very well drained and is underused. The infield area is completely overgrown at this time and is unplayable,” Liotta said. “The overall park area itself is in need … of some maintenance. The municipality is currently mowing the area about two times a month and it is a fairly large effort on their part. We spoke to the maintenance folks when they were doing it one afternoon and it is quite an undertaking to mow 4 acres of grass, especially in that condition.”
The proposed improvements would bring the playground equipment closer to the park entrance and to Redwood Road and provide increased visibility and security, according to Liotta and Reis.
“The components of the plan are subject to change as we get comments from the township and from the public. We are not locked into everything shown on the plan. The components could change and very likely will change, but for purposes of the grant application we needed a benchmark to estimate construction costs,” Liotta said.
The grant application must be filed by Sept. 20.
“Once the application is submitted and the funding is obtained, the plan itself can be modified as long we contain it within the funding,” he said.
Councilwoman Pauline Smith asked the professionals to ensure that before any plan is completed, the council receives an analysis and description of the materials to be used for the rubber playground turf, including where the rubber comes from and how the rubber is made.
Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro suggested placing benches under canopies in place of gazebos.
“Other than that, I think it looks beautiful,” Nicastro said.
Elizabeth Naskiewicz spoke in favor of the proposal on behalf of the Lake Restoration and Wildlife Management Committee.
“We just want (council members) to know we feel (the improvements) are a good idea. There is not much on the west side of Route 9 in (terms of) recreation and I think it will be an asset to the community,” she said.
Naskiewicz said her only fear would be if Winston Park is converted into a nice park that “goes by the wayside” due to a lack of proper maintenance and becomes a target for vandalism.
