Essex County Announces Plans for 77-Acre Cedar Grove Park and Robert J. O'Toole Community Center5/14/2016
by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com Published 9:38am  CEDAR GROVE, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. outlined plans for the new 77-acre Essex County Cedar Grove Park on Fairview Avenue in Cedar Grove on Friday, May 13th. Located on the site of the old Essex County Hospital Center, the park will be the first county park in Cedar Grove and will be the fourth largest in the Essex County Parks System. “Preservation of this land for passive recreation and a community center The new Essex County Cedar Grove Park will be 77 acres of open space situated along Fairview Avenue in Cedar Grove. There will be about two miles of walking paths through the park with historic lighting, benches and trash receptacles. The 15,000-square-foot Essex County Robert J. O’Toole Community Center, named for the retired Cedar Grove Mayor and Councilman Robert J. O’Toole, will be located on the eastern side of Fairview Avenue. “I am really humbled and honored by all this. “My family and I are deeply honored to have the new The building will have a covered portico in front and a covered patio in the back. It is envisioned that the building will house a daily congregate meal program offered by the Essex County Division of Senior Citizens as well as be available for other community organizations to hold meetings and special events. In the rear of the building will be four bocce courts and a playground designed with a farming theme to connect to the history of the Essex County Hospital Center when there was a farm on the site to support the hospital. “The preservation of open space is important to an area as developed as Essex County and Cedar Grove. We hope that individuals and families come here and enjoy this park,” Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin said. Other elected officials spoke highly of Mr. O’Toole and the lifetime of public service he provided to Cedar Grove and how the new park will become a resource for the township. “You can see the great example of serving the community O’Toole served three terms as Mayor of Cedar Grove and three terms as Deputy Mayor during his 12 years on the Municipal Council. He retired from public office in 2015 after deciding not to seek re-election after serving three terms. One of his platform issues was preserving what was known as “Parcel 5” of the old Essex County Hospital Center on Fairview Avenue as open space. He worked diligently against the overdevelopment of Cedar Grove, to preserve as much of the hospital tract as open space. “This is a great and well-deserved tribute to Mr. O’Toole, O'Toole also was a proponent of reducing local property taxes while providing quality services to keep Cedar Grove as an attractive and affordable place to reside; and promoting quality of life ordinances, including the creation of an “Animal House” ordinance to hold landlords responsible for rowdy tenants. “It is with pride and pleasure that the Board of Freeholders Mr. O’Toole also has a lengthy resume of public service to the Township, working as a member of the Cedar Grove Volunteer Fire Department for 45 years, establishing and serving as a founding member on the Peckman River Regional Control Board to address flooding along the Peckman River; and serving on the Cedar Grove Historical Society, Board of Education, Senior Citizen Club and Planning Board, volunteering as a coach for Little League football and baseball teams, and being involved with St. Catherine of Siena Church, its school and its annual Carnival. He enlisted twice in the U.S. Army and served in Korea, and is a member of the Korean War Veterans Association and American Legion. “Our Essex County parks have become sanctuaries. The land which was the last remaining parcel from the old Essex County Hospital Center complex was slated to be sold to a private developer, but in 2008 the County Executive and the Board of Chosen Freeholders initiated a change in policy and decided to preserve the land as open space. A lengthy lawsuit involving the developer, the County and the Township was resolved in 2015 when a compromise was reached. “Mr. O’Toole has truly left his mark on our community The engineering firm of CME Associates from Parlin received a $650,000 contract to design the new park. JC Landscape Construction from Pequannock was awarded a publicly bid contract for $11.05 million to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project and answer questions so that delays can be avoided. The project is being funded with a $5 million grant from the NJ Green Acres program, a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and the Essex County Capital Improvement Budget. It is scheduled to be completed by January 2017. Further Information Essex County County Executive: Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. 465 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd Newark, NJ 07102 973-621-4400 Website Essex County Cedar Grove Park is the fifth new park to be added to the Essex County Park System since 2007. The 11-acre Essex County Kip’s Castle Park in Montclair and Verona was preserved in 2007, the 10-acre Presby Memorial Iris Gardens was preserved in 2009, the 2.7-acre Essex County Veterans Memorial Park in the Essex County Government Complex in Newark was opened in 2009 and the 12.3-acre Essex County Riverfront Park was created in 2012. by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com Published 11:21am  Credit: Ronald C Saari ESSEX COUNTY, NJ - For persons already stressed with family and business concerns, calling into the Essex County Court House phone system can be particularly challenging. When phoning the main number 973-776-9300, callers are given a list of directory numbers to choose from. Following is a list of the designated extensions.
# Spell by name Directory 1) Emergency Closings / Hours of Operation / Directions / Parking Information 1 - Emergency Closings 2 - Hours of Operation 3 - Directions 4 - Parking Information 2) Jury Management Office 1 - Jury Reporting Message 2 - Tenant / Grand Jury Service 3 - Grand Jury Panel Clerk 4 - Grand Jury Transcripts 5 - Trenton State Grand Juror 3) Civil / Special Civil / Landlord Tenant / General Equity 1 - Landlord Tenant 2 - Special Civil 3 - Civil Law 4 - General Equity / Closures / Probate / Guardianship 5 - All other Civil / Filing Fees / Form 4) Criminal Division / Criminal Complaint / Upcoming Court Date 1 - New Arrests / Custody / Non-Custody Dates 2 - Special Remand Court 3 - Bail Force / Bench Warrants 4 - Criminal Records 5 - Gun Permits 6 - Drug Court 7 - Pretrial / Sentencing 8 - Expungement / Post-Conviction Relief 9 - Municipal Appeal 5) Family Division / Divorce / Custody / Restraining Orders 1 - Existing Child Support 2 - FM Docket Numbers / Divorce / Matrimony 3 - FD Docket Numbers / Child Custody / Parenting Time / Visitation / Child Support 4 - FV / FO Docket Numbers / Domestic Violence / Restraining Orders 5 - FJ Docket Numbers / Juvenile Delinquency / Family Crisis 6 - Children in Court / Adoption / Termination of Parental Rites / Abuse / Neglect 7 - Family Division Manager's Office 6) Probation Office / Adult and Juvenile Probation / Child Support 1 - Child Support 2 - Adult/Juvenile Supervision 9 - Spell by Name Directory 7) Finance Division / Filing Fees / Bail 1 - Civil / Special Civil / Landlord Tenant Filing Fees 2 - Bail 3 - Family General Equity Fees / Child Support Payment 4 - Probation Fines / Restitution / Fees 5 - Purchasing Unit 6 - Finance Division Manager 8) Office of the Child Court Administrator / Administrative Offices 1 - Human Resources 2 - Municipal Division - Pro Bono / Municipal Mediation 3 - Business Office / Information Center 4 - Transcript / Copy of Court Proceeding 5 - Information Technology 6 - Child Court Administration / Operations
Published 2:10pm  WEST ESSEX, NJ - According to Michael Booth of The New Jersey Law Journal, in August the following area attorneys were appointed to the NJ Superior Court and will sit in Essex County:
Additionally, Booth reports that Diane Montes-Infante, of West Caldwell, who until now has been a municipal court judge in Newark, will sit on the Workers' Compensation Court.
Published 3:50pm  ESSEX COUNTY, NJ – On Wednesday, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that he contacted state leaders to propose the idea of having a casino in Newark, if and when gambling facilities be allowed outside of Atlantic City. Governor Chris Christie, Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto each received a letter from DiVincenzo which illustrated that developing a casino in Newark would contribute to the continued revitalization of the state’s largest city. He also suggested that if Newark was turned down, another Essex County location could be feasible. “As elected leaders, it is our responsibility The state already has considered opening a casino in Jersey City and at the Meadowlands. However, DiVincenzo believes that Newark is a better location because of the extensive transportation network that is already established; buses and trains and major highways make it easy for anyone in Northern New Jersey or New York City to reach Newark. In addition, the Newark Light Rail links the city to Newark Penn Station and Newark Liberty International Airport, making it accessible to anyone on the East Coast and internationally. “A casino also will help continue to transform Newark DiVincenzo pointed out that in Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Maryland, smaller, regionalized casinos have become successful and their locations have become tourist attractions. He believes that casino development in Newark would stimulate economic development, attract new businesses, create construction jobs and permanent casino jobs, and generate a new stream of recurring revenue for the state, county and city in terms of sales tax and property tax. “The development of a casino most definitely will put people back to work. Despite the economic recovery on Wall Street, Newark and Essex County continue to have among the highest rates of unemployment," DiVincenzo stated. "A project of this magnitude most definitely will create Further Information
County of Essex County Executive: Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. 465 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Newark, NJ 07102 973-621-4400 Website
Published 9:05pm  Credit: Glen Frieson  Credit: Glen Frieson VERONA, NJ - Earlier this month, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced the completion of renovations to the Essex County Verona Park Boathouse. The upgrades are part of the County Executive’s ongoing initiative to modernize facilities and infrastructure while ensuring that the historic Essex County Park System continues to meet the recreation needs of the community. The project totaled $433,310 and was funded through the Essex County Capital Budget. In 2003, Essex County spent $230,000 to dredge Verona Park Lake and install a rubberized safety surface on the park's playground. In addition to the dredging, landscaping to prevent erosion was planted along the banks of the lake, a 1.2-mile health walk was restored and benches were replaced. A new drainage system was also implemented at the playground. The following year, 2004, a $1 million upgrade funded with grant dollars, created a Children’s Garden with an amphitheater, modernization of the tennis courts, construction of a restroom building near the playground and enhancements to the park entrances. A five-station fitness course, landscaping upgrades and improvements to the Verona Lake Dam were completed at the cost of $400,000 in 2008. In 2012, a $1 million project to upgrade the pathway lighting and repair the dock at the boathouse was also completed. The projects totaled $2.4 million and were all funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program, Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Infrastructure Improvement Trust Fund.  Credit: Glen Frieson Boathouse Structure The boathouse is divided into three sections; both the large meeting room and the central meeting room have heat and air-condition and can be used year-round:
This 2014 project began with modernizing the restroom facilities in the boathouse and in the park. It then provided a comprehensive face-lift to the central part of the Boathouse building to make it more attractive for special events and have it available as a seating area for the concession. “The center room of the Verona Park Boathouse was such an under-utilized area because it was so dark and isolated," DiVincenzo explained.  Credit: Glen Frieson Verona Park Boathouse Improvements The work to the Boathouse facility began in April and was completed in less than 10 weeks. The Essex County upgrades include:
Boat House Burger Shack The Boat House Burger Shack is the kitchen which has been operating out of the county's Boathouse since last summer. It's privately owned and run by Aramark, a company which is based out of Philadelphia, and also runs the food concessions at Codey Arena and Turtle Back Zoo. The Burger Shack menu consists of salads, wrap sandwiches, burgers along with ice-cream, shakes and beverages. Boat House Rental Anyone interested in renting the facility must fill out the county's Special Event Permit Application which is found online here. The newly renovated Central Meeting Room is rented at the cost of $100 per hour, for a minimum of four hours. If the Central Meeting Room is full, there is additional seating on the deck. The Large Meeting Room, if it is not in use, may also be used for an event.
Paddle and Row Boat Rentals In addition, Aramark also manages the boat rentals at the Verona Park Lake. Rental Fees for either boat:
 Credit: Glen Frieson From left: Tom O'Connor from Unity Construction, Nick Centrone from Aramark, Bob Hertling from Unity Construction, Verona Park Conservancy member Marvin Friedman, Essex County Public Works Director and Engineer Sanjeev Varghese, Verona Park Conservancy member Charles Heyer, Freeholder Leonard Luciano, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold, Steve Churilli from Unity Construction, Verona Councilman Frank Sapienza, Walter Younghans from Unity Construction, Verona Park Conservancy President Jim McGregor and Verona Township Manager Joseph Martin  Credit: Glen Frieson On Wednesday, July 2, the county executive hosted an event to display the improvements the county has made to the Boathouse facility. Joining DiVincenzo that day to cut the ceremonial ribbon were Essex County Public Works Director and Engineer Sanjeev Varghese, Essex County Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold and Freeholder Leonard Luciano, Verona Town Manager Joseph Martin and Verona Councilman Frank Sapienza. Also on hand was Verona Park Conservancy President James McGregor and conservancy members Marvin Friedman and Charles Heyer. Joining them as well were Unity Construction Service representatives Steve Churilli, Bob Hertling, Tom O'Connor and Walter Younghans. Also present was Nick Centrone from Aramark, the vendor who has the food concession at the boathouse. The improvements were seemingly well received by the local elected officials and members of the community who observed them. “On behalf of Verona, we’d like to thank the County Executive  Credit: Glen Frieson Several organizations utilize the building for meetings, including the Sierra Club and a local senior citizen group. The large room on the southern side of the building remained open during construction and activities in the building were not disrupted. “We are tremendously happy that this building was renovated, The improvements were designed by T+ Associates Architects from Philadelphia, and Unity Construction Services from Sayreville was awarded a publicly bid contract for $433,310 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works reviewed the architectural design and monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 22 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, three off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.
Published 9:05pm  Credit: Glen Frieson  Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. Credit: Glen Frieson WEST ORANGE, NJ - Last week, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that plans have already been set in place for the county to construct a 500-space parking garage facility at Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange. The facility will provide additional on-site parking for visitors coming to the many attractions in the complex and alleviate the amount of cars that are parking in neighboring lots, in the nearby reservation and on the street. Construction costs are expected to be $12,030,000 which will be funded through the Essex County Capital Budget. It is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2015. Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex Named after South Mountain Reservation, the complex is home to:
When the number of visitors at the complex soars, cars are directed to park in nearby business parking lots, on the grass archery field off of Cherry Lane in South Mountain Reservation and on local streets around the zoo. The county administration believes that, as the attractions in the Recreation Complex have become more popular, available parking has become insufficient. Current Parking The complex currently includes:
With work already started on the parking facility's foundation, a ceremonial groundbreaking with the county executive was held on Tuesday, July 22. He was joined for the occasion by visiting government officials and county employees including New Jersey Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver, Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board President Lori Tanner, Essex County Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold and Leonard Luciano and West Orange Councilman Jerry Guarino. In addition, Lorrie Sciabarasi and Greg Comito from Greg Comito and Associates, the facility design team, and Donald Dinallo from Terminal Construction Corporation, the builders, were also present for the occasion.  Credit: Glen Frieson From left: Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne, West Orange Councilman Jerry Guarino, Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board President Lori Tanner, Lorrie Sciabarasi and Greg Comito from Greg Comito and Associates, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Freeholder Leonard Luciano, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo Director Brint Spencer, Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver and Terminal Construction representative Donald Dinallo “Our programs are expanding rapidly,” Spencer said.  Credit: Glen Frieson The new five-story facility will accommodate approximately 500 cars; it will be located in the surface parking lot between Turtle Back Zoo and Codey Arena. There will be a stairwell as well as elevator access close to the zoo and arena for visitors who park in the new garage. To enhance traffic control on Northfield Avenue, a traffic signal will be installed at the western end of the arena. “With Turtle Back Zoo as our anchor and new attractions The popularity of the attractions at the recreation complex has outpaced its parking needs. In addition, McLoone’s Boathouse Restaurant and the new walkway around the Orange Reservoir also have been magnets for people attracted to the complex. Attendance records in 2013 at the complex are as follows:
“It’s a great feeling to see all the people who come here.  Credit: Glen Frieson Greg Comito and Associates from Newark were awarded a $388,000 contract to design the parking facility. Terminal Construction from Wood-Ridge, NJ, was awarded a publicly bid contract for $11,642,000 to construct the parking facility. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project and answer questions to ensure delays are avoided. The combined costs come to $12,030,000 which will be funded through the Essex County Capital Budget. It is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2015. "Building this parking structure is a massive undertaking  Further Information Essex County County Executive: Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. 465 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Newark, NJ 07102 973-621-4400 Website The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 22 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, three off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.
 WEST ESSEX, NJ - Essex County has commissioned Rutgers University for an online anonymous "Bloomfield Avenue Corridor Use and Perception Survey" which they hope will help inform county engineers to improve the situation along Bloomfield Avenue. The survey focuses on the area from Verona to Glen Ridge but there is ample room for input from residents farther west along the county road.
The research study is for anyone who lives or works in the region of Bloomfield Avenue. The survey allows for responses concerning traffic, pedestrians, bicyclists and general driving conditions. Responses will be used to inform those working on the development of the proposed Bloomfield Avenue Complete Streets Plan detailed on the Together North Jersey website. The project proposes to:
Project Team Along with the County of Essex, the combined efforts of many planning groups are involved with the Bloomfield Avenue study including the following organizations:
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