Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances ADA playground at Habernacle Park; inclusive playground funding discussed
Summary
Parks and Recreation recommended contracting for an ADA‑accessible playground at Habernacle Park using a DCA grant plus village funds; council and Access Committee members discussed inclusive‑playground elements and larger Jake’s Law grant opportunities for future inclusionary play surfaces.
Parks and Recreation staff presented a contract recommendation to install a new ADA‑accessible playground at Habernacle Park using a $68,000 Local Recreation Improvement Grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, plus $139,000 appropriated in the village 2025 capital budget.
The recommended contract award is to Great Lakes Recreation (Zeeland, Mich.) through a Sourcewell cooperative pricing contract, not to exceed $191,031.57. Parks staff said the design and vendor selection followed discussions with the Access Committee and other public input.
Access Committee members and several council members clarified that the Habernacle playground is ADA‑accessible but not an “inclusive” playground in the broader sense. Council member Siobhan (Access liaison) explained that inclusive playgrounds typically require a poured‑rubber surface to allow wheelchair access and to improve fall protection for children with mobility needs; Access advocated for a sensory “feelings board” and other interactive elements that are included in the Habernacle design while swings were not added because moving a retaining wall would have increased the project scope.
Deputy village staff and councilors discussed additional funding sources for more comprehensive inclusionary facilities. They noted that Jake’s Law and Green Acres diversion funding can support larger inclusionary projects; Jake’s Law awards cited during the meeting were described generally as larger (average award ranges cited by staff during discussion ran into the hundreds of thousands). Council members said clearing Green Acres diversion requirements will improve eligibility for larger grants for truly inclusionary playgrounds at other sites, such as the Schedler property.
The council also discussed project site work and asked staff to confirm which site‑preparation tasks would be completed in‑house (grading, drainage and retaining‑wall work); staff said they would provide that scope back to council. The meeting record shows the council approved insertion of the DCA grant into the municipal budget and moved forward with the Sourcewell contract recommendation for Park and Recreation.
