The Villadom Times Weekly Newspaper Online-Aug 25, 2010 Issue

Mahwah August 25, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 9 Veterans Park upgrade now set for Memorial Day 2011 by Frank J. McMahon The improvement of Veterans Park on Franklin Turnpike at Miller Road in Mahwah is on hold until next spring. The delay was due to a technical difficulty with the bidding process which resulted in the low bid being rejected after the contractor failed to provide business certificates and the paperwork identifying subcontractors. Michael Kelly of Boswell McClave Engineering, the township’s engineering firm, advised the council that the project could be rebid immediately, but a contract could not be awarded until the Sept. 9 council meeting. The professional engineer said that would not leave enough time to complete the project before Veterans Day 2010 as originally planned. He recommended that the council make the park improvement a spring project to be completed by Memorial Day of 2011, especially since Bergen County has indicated that it intends to widen the Franklin Turnpike/Miller Road intersection next spring. Kelly explained that, while Veterans Park will not be affected by that widening project since all the park improvements are planned for the interior of the property, delaying those improvements will allow the township to complete that project at the same time as the intersection widening and ensure that both projects mesh properly. Township Administrator Brian Campion agreed with Kelly and suggested there was no reason to pursue the rebidding immediately because that process could be done over the winter. The improvements would then be made in the spring when the county has finalized its plans for the intersection. 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However, she acknowledged that trying to get it done by November would not allow enough time to finish all the planting that is planned for the site, and she would prefer that the project be done in the right way. The park upgrade includes new plantings along Franklin Turnpike, a new walkway, relocation of the existing park sign to the center of that part of the site facing Franklin Turnpike with six cypress trees to be planted in an arc behind the sign with boxwood plants extending in a curved direction to Miller Road and East Ramapo Avenue. The sign will be illuminated. The park will have benches and path lights, and a circular area at the center of the park will have two large monuments with room for two more on a bed of stone with an illuminated flagpole at the center of the circular area. The circular area will be surrounded by shrubs and benches, and two pink dogwood trees will be planted on the north and south sides of that area. A grouping of cypress trees and shrubs will be located at the railroad end of the park in the same curved manner as the ones along the Franklin Turnpike side of the park, and a barrier-free access ramp will be added at the southwestern end of the park to avoid the stepped up walkways in that area. All the landscaping will be irrigated, and concrete stairs will be installed at the railroad end of the park where the curbs will be modified for barrier-free access and a twoto three-foot high retaining wall will be installed there to create a level area at the west end of the park. The cost of the project will be mostly funded by a Bergen County Open Space grant of $94,500 that was recently received and $100,000 that is already in the township’s capital improvement account for the project. If favorable bids are received for the project, Kelly said lighting will be installed along the outside of the site and decorative trash cans and side benches will be added. In regard to the intersection widening, Kelly said he will estimate the potential cost of that project to the township and then the council can decide if it wants to participate in it. Councilman Samuel Alderisio emphasized that it is important for the township to participate in the road widening project because the New Jersey Transit buses stop there and traffic backs up at commuter time. (continued on page 23) All Skechers at least Original Price �� Large Selection of Assorted Shoes & Sandals 30%-40% off Roundup® Weed & Grass Killer Ready-To-Use Pump ‘N Go ™ Sprayer  APPLY WHEN WEEDS ARE ACTIVE & GROWING  USE ON PATIOS, WALKWAYS, DRIVEWAYS, AROUND SHRUBS AND TREES  FOAMING TECHNOLGY LETS YOU SEE WHERE YOU SPRAY Mon-Wed 7:30-6, Thurs & Fri 7:30-8 Sat 8-5 OPEN SUNDAY 9-3 MAKE WEEDS AND UNWANTED GRASS GO AWAY! 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