Town looks at ways to improve Pine Ridge
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK - Pine Ridge Park will be improved both to make it accessible for people with disabilities and to furnish it according to the desires of nearby residents.

Many residents in the Pine Ridge area were contacted for ideas on what improvements should be made to the park, said Mayor William Neary, and about 30 completed and submitted the surveys. The township's public works department will evaluate those responses and give the township a report.

Neary said the topography of the 5.1-acre park presents challenges, especially in the town's quest to make it comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

"Absolutely we need to change the layout," he said.

The park, on Mainsworth Avenue just east of Route 18 and the New Jersey Turnpike, currently has a baseball field, two handball courts, two tennis courts, parking and a playground.

Councilman David Stahl said the 2006 municipal budget included about $40,000 for a study that will evaluate ways to bring the park up to "current standards." He described this as an "initial step" in renovating the park.

Officials said there is no estimate on how much the improvements will cost, nor is there a strict timetable on when the work will be done. Stahl did say it is a one- to two-year project.

The township has held a public meeting for citizen input, Neary said, and the next step is for engineers to design a sketch of the improvements. When that is complete, the township will meet with Pine Ridge residents to get their feedback on the sketch.

Neary said the park is not in bad shape and is used quite a bit. It includes active tennis courts, athletic fields and a recreation area.

"We can't let the park get old, because then they fall apart," he said, adding that Pine Ridge is the latest in a long line of parks his administration has improved.

Other municipal facilities such as Welsh Park and Heavenly Farms have been improved through capital grants, Neary said.

The township issued a request for qualifications for the park design in August, and during the Oct. 23 council meeting it was announced that the township received bids from four companies to perform the initial study.