IRVINGTON — Mayor Tony Vauss and Recreation Department Director Donald Malloy have numerous activities and events planned for township residents of all ages during the summer, but 40th Street Park is not included in any as it is currently undergoing a much-needed renovation.
“This is one of our great busy times, which is our Recreation Department’s biggest summer activity programs,” said Malloy on Monday, May 29, during the township’s annual Memorial Day observance. “That program starts July 3, which is on a Monday preceding the Fourth of July, and we will run that program until Aug. 18, which is the end of our program, because we like to give our kids at least two weeks before school starts, so that they can spend some intimate time with their mothers and fathers, their regular families.”
Registration for the Summer Recreation Department Activity Programs is currently under way and Malloy said one of the best things about it is the affordable price that puts safe, high-quality recreation within the reach of every township family.
“We have a big program and we are registering right now,” said Malloy. “It’s very, very cheap to enroll for our summer program. It costs an Irvington resident only $40 for the whole summer. Now that’s a bargain and that’s morning to afternoon. We start at 9 a.m. We end at 5 p.m. and we serve you breakfast in the morning and we serve you lunch five days a week, all for $40 one-time fee, and that’s it.”
Malloy urged all eligible Irvington parents to “come out and register your kids at 285 Union Avenue” at the Chris Gatling Center. Interested parents can also call 973-399-6597 or visit the township’s official website www.irvington.net.
“We’re operating out of all the parks in town, except 40th Street, which for the first time will be closed this summer. That’s because we are renovating and upgrading 40th Street with a $650,000 Green Acres Grant,” Malloy said. “I’m excited, because next week, the shovels and the picks will be in the ground, so to speak. We’re going to enlarge that building, make it a bigger community place for our residents to enjoy and our block associations to have their meetings, etc. So I’m excited about that.”
Malloy advised Grove Street residents to be on the lookout for new developments in their public park, too.
“Your playground is in process right now,” said Malloy. “We put $250,000 into a new playground on Grove Street and you’re going to be very proud of it. I’m telling you, it’s wonderful. That’s what they’ve been wanting over there by the school and we’re delivering it.”
Almost three years ago Vauss, at large Councilwoman Charnette Frederic and West Ward Councilman Vern Cox announced Irvington had received a $650,000 Green Acres Grant to upgrade 40th Street Park, thanks to the efforts of former township health official Atif Nazir.
The township was awarded two state grants to upgrade the park and further Vauss’ overall goal of increasing residents’ usage of Irvington’s parks and other public spaces. Frederic and Cox could not be reached for comment about the 40th Street Park upgrade by press time this week.
But two years ago, Frederic said she was very grateful Irvington had received the grants from Sustainable New Jersey and Green Acres. At that time, Nazir said the goal was to promote the physical activity and overall health in the community.
“It’s always a challenge in government to get the money and spend the money,” Frederic said in August 2015. “Right now, we have $9,000 from Sustainable New Jersey. It’s not enough to put the safe surface for the children’s playground; however, we can do a picnic area. With that being said, we will purchase a picnic area, that will encourage more family-oriented activities in the park on that level. We also apply for a $600,000-something grant from the Green Acres fund. Once we have that, we’re going to definitely make the playground safer, by fixing our field and making more beautiful places in Irvington here.”
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