BRICK – Bayside Park, located opposite Brick Beach 3 on the barrier island, has been in a rundown condition since it was flooded and damaged during Superstorm Sandy.
The park is next in line for a reconstruction, so during a recent Township Council meeting, the governing body awarded a bid for improvements to Precise Construction of Freehold in the amount of $722,022.
The project would include the reconstruction of the boardwalk there, age specific playground improvements, shade structures, concrete paver patio areas and walkways, lighting, security camera infrastructure, electrical improvements, an irrigation system, landscaping and other site improvements to the existing park area, said Councilman Art Halloran.
Bid notices were provided to 57 prospective bidders, and 14 of them requested bid packages. Four bids were received with prices ranging from the low bid of $722,022 to $892,860, he added.
The council passed a second resolution for Bayside Park improvements that authorizes the award of bid for the boardwalk reconstruction portion of the project to Albert Marine Construction of Waretown in the amount of $84,690.
The company would remove and dispose of the existing boardwalk frame and foundation, and would construct 1,800 square feet of pile-supported composite boardwalk and site restoration.
Bid notices were provided to 38 prospective bidders, and 13 requested bid packages, said Councilwoman Heather deJong.
Six bids were received with prices ranging from $84,690 to $290,000, she said.
Mayor John G. Ducey said a pre-construction meeting was scheduled for early December for the reconstruction, and the park should be completed in the days before Memorial Day 2020.
During the council meeting, the governing body passed a resolution to insert some $1 million in additional money from a NJDEP Green Acres Grant for the multi-park improvement project that includes the reconstruction of Bayside Park and some of the reconstruction costs associated with the completed Bernie Cooke Park, which had a ribbon cutting in May 2019, and Birchwood Park, AKA Hank Waltonowski Park, which had a ribbon-cutting in November 2019.
The park improvements cost an average of $1 million each, said Business Administrator Joanne Bergin during the council meeting.
“The grants are reimbursement grants, so you go forward with your projects and you submit for applications to help offset that,” she said.
This is the second $1 million Green Acres Grant awarded to Brick Township for park improvements, Bergin added.
In other news, Mayor John G. Ducey said he is looking for resumes and/or letters of interest from residents who would like to volunteer for boards and commissions, including the Housing Authority, Sustainable Brick, Board of Adjustment, Property Maintenance Board, Environmental Commission, Shade Tree Commission, Ethics, BMAC, and Planning Board.
“We do have some openings, and if someone is on those committees currently, and would like to stay on, please also send in an email of interest to let us know that you want to remain on those various committees,” Ducey said.
Resumes or letters of interest may be emailed to: mayor@bricktownship.net.
