Rutherford council approves Green Acres, local grant steps to pursue inclusive Tamlin Field playground

The Borough of Rutherford’s Mayor and Council on Tuesday authorized submission of a Green Acres "Jake’s Law" grant application to build an all‑inclusive playground at Tamlin Field and approved a separate local recreational grant application for related retaining‑wall and site work.

Council President McGowan said the project followed months of community input and a borough survey of about 640 respondents, adding that the responses represent the entire borough. “So every quadrant of the borough responded to this. So we can say with certainty that this is representative of our community as a whole and not just 1 cluster,” McGowan said.

Why it matters: Jake’s Law funding (the Green Acres accessibility program) and a companion local recreational improvement grant would together fund site grading, accessible connections to the Civic Center, and play equipment designed for children and adults with disabilities. Borough staff told the council the proposed playground would replace an aging structure at the southeast corner of Tamlin Field and be relocated closer to the Civic Center and Woodland Avenue to take advantage of an existing ADA ramp and newly installed family restroom access.

Borough Administrator…