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Maplewood outlines $2.75–$3 million rebuild of athletic field, aims to start construction in 2026
Summary
Township engineers presented a Phase 1 plan to reconstruct a single sand‑based grass athletic field with new drainage and irrigation, a mid‑March completion of bid documents, and a projected construction window that would deliver substantial completion by late October 2026; officials said they will seek Green Acres funding.
Paul Pitner, the township engineer and director of public works, said the township has received 90% plans and is finalizing bid documents for the athletic‑field work planned as Phase 1 of the park renovation. “We have 90% plans that we just received,” Pitner said, and staff expect to finish plans, specifications and bidding documents “by mid to late March” with an early‑April public advertisement.
The field rebuild will replace the existing playing surface with one sand‑based grass field designed to be striped into smaller layouts for multiple games. Pitner outlined construction milestones and a budget range: “we're we're looking at a construction cost of anywhere from 2.75 to 3 million,” he said, and staff anticipate early construction with final grading, irrigation and substantial completion targeted for late October and full completion by about Nov. 15, 2026.
Town officials stressed subsurface drainage and irrigation as core elements of the design. The mayor said the design aims to avoid drainage impacts on nearby residential streets. “The field will be sandbased and that will facilitate the drainage,” Mayor Victor Luke said in opening remarks. Pitner added the project will strip and regrade existing topsoil in some areas and install a new irrigation system to support turf establishment.
Users at the meeting pressed staff on operational and warranty issues. Juan, an area coach who described himself as an “ultimate player and coach,” said conversations with operators of other sand‑based fields indicated high irrigation needs and urged the township to plan around warranty windows. “They both reported very high irrigation needs for their sandbased fields,” Juan said, and recommended designing construction timing and warranty inspections so the township can detect problems during the two‑year guarantee period.
Pitner said the town will require standard maintenance and warranty inspections: “there is a maintenance guarantee with the field. It's typically two years on construction projects like this,” he said, adding that the warranty usually begins from the date of substantial completion. He also said staff will inspect materials and construction techniques during installation to reduce the risk of premature failure.
The township plans to apply to the New Jersey Green Acres Program for funding support and will present the finalized plan during the township committee public hearing on Feb. 17, as required by Green Acres. If Green Acres funding is not secured, officials said they would consider municipal funding alternatives and continue refining the schedule and construction approach.
The earliest formal procurement steps are expected after the final bid documents are issued in March and a public advertisement in April; construction and final dates will be governed by the bid schedule and weather windows for turf establishment.
