JACKSON – Recreation projects were outlined by Municipal Engineer Charles Cunliffeduring a recent Township Council meeting.
“The Recreation Committee was reestablished over the summer and one of the first things we did was look comprehensively at all the recreational facilities throughout the township to assess what the needs and wants were,” Cunliffe said.
The township had spent a considerable amount of money a few years ago on some of its athletic fields, including “resurfacing the fields at the Justice Complex over at Holman. The town has also spent a significant amount of money over the last five to 10 years upgrading the playgrounds and a lot of the parks,” Cunliffe noted.
He explained the youth softball program does not have its own designated facility. They use the fields at the Justice Complex and on Bartley Road, leased through the Jackson Little League and Holbrook Little League.
“While they do have the right to use those entities, they kind of have second choice of timing of when they can use those facilities. Secondly there is no full size adult slow pitch softball fields within Jackson Township, especially without any lights. We did discuss over in Lakewood, Pine Park had a series of fields but certain adults are not allowed to use those facilities anymore so there is no home for those users in Jackson who used to use those fields,” Cunliffe added.
The Recreation Committee looked at the three existing fields at Camp Joy which were found to be a little worse for wear and need “some grading and touching up. There is no irrigation,” Cunliffe said as he presented a slide show presentation illustrating a plan to rehabilitate all three fields present there.
There is a 300-foot adult slow pitch softball field which he said would get new back stops and some additional netting to protect the parking areas plus a new dug out enclosure. “Pads for bleachers for spectators and new bullpen areas,” Cunliffe said.
A 200-foot fast pitch softball field would gain the same amenities with the proposed plan. “A batting tunnel that could be utilized for warmups for both the fast and slow pitch players as needed. We discussed the need for a concession stand. Right now, for folks going to a game there is no space for purchasing packaged goods or anything like it,” Cunliffe said noting a pre-fabricated garage like structure could be built “to sell those kinds of goods.”
“Once you start running water and sewer the cost for a project can go up considerably,” he said clarifying it would not be a full concession area with bathrooms.
He said another area is utilized in the summer by the school and for summer recreation camps and for school field day activities “so we wanted to maintain some general passive green space that could be utilized straight for the fields and for field days for the school.” He said there was not recreational trails present. “We have shown a half mile loop around the perimeter around all the fields that could be used for recreation, walking, running and locations for benches around there.”
Cunliffe also mentioned an area that could be created for those utilizing the fields to have a team congregation space and a shaded area. He also mentioned some stormwater management. “There is going to be a major development if this project were to move forward so there will need to be stormwater basins and drainage throughout the field and the perimeter.” He also mentioned the high-cost item of lighting the fields which he estimated at “three quarters of a million dollars to light both fields.”
He also said the town had some flexibility regarding choices in pavilion styles and construction “to fit the rural character of Jackson. Everything has a price point,” he added noting that bleachers consistent with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) were also required and not currently present at the fields. “We update the parking area to make it ADA accessible. We make sure the walkways are within tolerances of ADA. Spectator areas would have spaces for wheelchairs to sit next to their family members.”
“We can look at different options,” Cunliffe said.
Council President Mordechai Burnstein asked if there were any environmental constraints on the property.
“South of Prospect (Road) is some woods that have met wetlands so if this moved forward, we would investigate that. It is likely that it is wetlands. It could be isolated wetlands which there are permits you can get for filling that,” Cunliffe responded. The township would have to comply with the stormwater control ordinance. Ocean County Soil Conservation also requires a permit for that situation “because it is a considerable amount of soil disturbance.”
The council president followed up with another question as to what would be the financial ball park figure for the project.
“You are looking in the order of probably four or five million dollars,” Cunliffe answered. “It is a significant project.” He noted the township could consider “phasing these projects, going with alternate bids to see where the price points are and to see if you have the funds to do everything all at once.”
He also mentioned that if the sports lighting was a concern to residents south of the site work could be performed to “allow for future expansion to put the lighting in and have it for future use. We can look at things to reduce the price if that is what the council wants to do.”
“This won’t be on the agenda for the next meeting. We wanted to put it out to the public and get some feedback over the month or two and collectively as a council come back and make an informed decision if we move forward at all, if we are doing this piecemeal. I definitely see a need for upgraded fields in town,” Burnstein added.
Burnstein said that the township “has had a recreation committee for a while but it really hasn’t been utilized until the past year. This project is something that they have been very passionate about and have worked a lot on. We will solicit from the public and get their take.”
