FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Municipal officials in Freehold Township are seeking $242,000 from Monmouth County to help finance the construction of a playground where children of all ability levels would be able to play together.
On Aug. 20, the Township Committee authorized the submission of an application to Monmouth County requesting $242,000 in open space trust funds through the county’s municipal open space program. Money received from the county would require a match by the township.
Officials want to use the funds to construct My Playground at Opatut Park, East Freehold Road, according to a resolution. The total cost of the project would be $484,000, to be shared by the county and Freehold Township.
My Playground at Opatut Park would be the third playground in the township that is designed to be all-inclusive for children and their parents.
Freehold Township’s first universally integrated playground is My Playground at Michael J. Tighe Park, Georgia Road, which was completed in 2015.
The second universally integrated playground is Our Place 2 Play at the C. Richard Applegate Elementary School, Jeanne Brennan Drive, which opened to students this year.
According to Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Susan McGough, the anticipated start date for work on My Playground at Opatut Park is May 2020. Construction is projected to be completed by September.
In other business, committee members awarded three contracts for the furnishing and delivery of turf maintenance supplies.
Reed & Perrine Sales Inc. was awarded a $21,787 contract, SiteOne Landscape Supply was awarded an $11,996 contract, and Levitt’s LLC was awarded an $8,525 contract, according to the resolution, for a total expenditure of $42,308.
Finally, the committee extended a contract with Zebras R Us for sports official services for parks and recreation youth and high school basketball. According to a resolution, the estimated amount of the contract is $41,440.
