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EDA unveils conceptual plan for 700‑acre Rotary Poorhouse Park; board to seek public input and task force
Summary
The Essex County Economic Development Authority presented a conceptual, multi‑phase plan for a 700‑acre Rotary Poorhouse Park, with TRC estimating about $26 million in phased costs; the board and EDA agreed to public sessions, online polling and a small task force to shape phase‑1 priorities.
The Essex County Economic Development Authority and consultant TRC Engineers presented a conceptual plan Feb. 10 for a 700‑acre Rotary Poorhouse Park and asked the Board of Supervisors to lead public engagement and help form a small task force to guide early decisions.
Lisa Andrews, chair of the EDA, described the plan as a concept that has grown since the authority’s strategic plan and emphasized the need for community input before detailed design or funding commitments. Greg Smith of TRC Engineers said the parcel is made up of two tracts and that the design focuses formal facilities near Kaino Road so visitors need not travel deep into the property.
Smith described constraints and opportunities including wooded topography, wetlands and a borrow area created during landfill capping that may be suitable for flat fields. He said the team identified five phases and produced a cost estimate “about $26,000,000 in today's money,” with phasing and design choices to be refined as the county decides priorities. Smith also warned that wetlands, permitting and tree clearing will shape where and how development can occur.
EDA and board members discussed program priorities—basketball courts, youth and adult soccer, multiple baseball/softball fields sized for different age groups, parking for tournaments, and the potential for a wet pond or regional stormwater facility that could double as recreational fishing. Lisa Andrews proposed a mix of public sessions (including an online poll), stakeholder advisory committees and a small task force to draft polling questions and meeting logistics; several supervisors volunteered to serve on the initial group.
The EDA will work with county staff to schedule community engagement after the budget season; public input and advisory‑committee feedback will be used to define a phase‑1 scope and a funding strategy that uses grants and partnerships rather than relying solely on county general funds.
