Union County Review

The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce that grants have been awarded to 19 municipalities for improvements to recreation resources for children, through the Kid’s Recreation Trust Fund. In addition, 18 municipalities were awarded matching grants for planting new trees through the Greening Union County program.

Both grant programs are funded through the Union County Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund, with funds awarded to municipalities on a matching grant basis.

“The Open Space Trust Fund was established by popular referendum in 2000, and it reflects the importance that Union County residents place on nature conservation and recreation as well as local history. The Commissioner Board is very proud to continue administering the Trust Fund for the benefit of communities throughout Union County,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams. 

“These two grant programs help to improve the quality of life in our urban and suburban communities, by providing assistance to local recreation programs for children and by helping municipalities create beneficial treescapes that help clean the air and reduce erosion,” said Commissioner Alexander Mirabella, who is the Chair of the Commissioner Board’s Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Board.

Since its inception in 2000 the Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund has enabled the Commissioner Board to add more than 315 acres of land to the Union County parks system, in addition to providing grants for local recreation programs, tree plantings, and historic site restoration.

Nineteen municipalities received funding from the Kids Recreation Trust fund:

Berkeley Heights -- $40,000.00. Replace the tennis and pickleball court lights and poles with LED lights and create a walking/biking path to connect Robbins and Lawrence Avenues.

Clark -- $45,000.00. Repurpose a basketball court into three pickleball fields and upgrade the jungle gym area.

Cranford -- $60,000.00. Renovate the Hillside Avenue Tennis Courts, Lincoln Park beautification, and resurface various playground areas with rubber surfaces.

Elizabeth -- $150,000.00. Upgrades to Lynch Memorial Playground with the incorporation of new ADA equipment and a new spray park.

Fanwood -- $50,000.00. New playground equipment for LaGrande Park.

Garwood -- $35,000.00. Improvements to the Recreation Sport Complex including a new video security system, a shuffleboard court, and a picnic pavilion.

Kenilworth -- $50,000.00.Various improvements to the Borough’s parks and facilities.

Linden -- $65,000.00. Upgrade and make Milkosky Park ADA compliant.

Mountainside -- $35,000.00. Develop a new park on Mountain Avenue and New Providence Road, and updates the baseball and softball Fields at Deerfield School.

New Providence -- $35,000.00. Create a more accessible playground structure, bathroom building and picnic patio at Lions Park.

Plainfield -- $36,850.00. Resurface the basketball courts at Bryant Park.

Rahway -- $65,000.00. Rehabilitate and resurface the five tennis courts at Berzinec Park.

Roselle -- $50,000.00. Repair and resurface Pine Street Park and Chandler Street Park.

Roselle Park -- $45,000.00. Renovate Acker Park including new playground structures and ADA accessible features.

Scotch Plains -- $60,000.00. Equipment and new signage for various park locations.

Springfield -- $45,000.00. Rehabilitate the tennis courts and overlay new pickleball fields.

Summit -- $45,000.00. Rehabilitate and make Mabie Playground ADA compliant and sensory friendly.

Union -- $55,000.00. Playground equipment and improvements for Jerome Petti Park.

Westfield -- $36,477.23. Replacement of fencing and new equipment for the basketball courts at Windsor Park.

Total: $1,003,327.23

Eighteen municipalities were awarded grants for planting trees under the Greening Union County program:

Berkeley Heights -- $4,000.00 (22 trees)

Clark -- $5,000.00 (20 trees)

Cranford -- $5,000.00 (25 trees)

Elizabeth -- $18,000.00 (150 trees)

Garwood -- $5,000.00 (20 trees)

Hillside -- $2,800.00 (16 trees)

Kenilworth -- $3,000.00 (30 trees)

Linden --$8,000.00 (60 trees)

New Providence -- $2,255.00 (12 trees)

Plainfield -- $5,725.00 (55 trees)

Rahway -- $5,000.00 (35 trees)

Roselle  -- $5,000.00 (70 trees)

Roselle Park -- $5,000.00 (50 trees)

Scotch Plains -- $3,750.00 (25 trees)

Springfield -- $4,000.00 (45 trees)

Summit -- $5,500.00 (100 trees)

Union -- $2,970.00 (11 trees)

Westfield -- $10,000.00 (100 trees)

Total: $100,000.00

Note: A video of on-location acceptance remarks by the awardees is available at this link: https://ucnj.org/.../video-presentation-2022-kids.../

View this press release on the Union County website: https://wp.me/p4sLwl-q5u

Original source can be found here.