Audubon advances multi-year plan to make Family Park more inclusive, seeks Green Acres match

Mayor Robert A. Jakubowski convened a Jan. 20 special public hearing in Audubon to review a multi-year strategy to make Audubon Family Park more accessible and inclusive and to meet public-engagement requirements for a Green Acres grant application.

The commission said a community survey launched just under three weeks ago had produced 60 responses by the meeting, with 78.3% of respondents reporting they are regular park users. Officials described the survey as a primary input for a phased plan that will add inclusive equipment over several years, retire older pieces only when they are no longer safe, and focus early work from the park’s oldest equipment toward Memorial Grove. The survey will close Jan. 26 so staff can analyze results before the next public hearing.

The project already has committed local support: commissioners reported a $65,000 state grant and a $25,000 county open-space allocation that the project team expects to leverage. Officials said they will apply for a Green Acres grant that requires a 25% local match; commission discussion used a six-figure example range of $200,000–$300,000 for the requested funding, noting that every $50,000 would require a $12,500 match.

Commissioners described priorities that include enclosed play areas to reduce the risk that children who may wander — including some children with autism — will leave the play area, additional resting areas for caregivers, more shaded seating and accessible surfacing and play elements. The commission emphasized the plan is intended to move forward in phases whether or not the Green Acres award is received, and that Green Acres would accelerate the timeline.

Officials said the town will primarily use vendors on state contract to streamline procurement and ensure vetted pricing, but that staff will make exceptions for specialized items that must be purchased directly from creators or sole-source vendors. The commission also directed an ADA review of plans, including adding a second ramp to a structure that currently has only one.

Public comment brought several feature-specific proposals. Amy Liberi of 167 Paris Ave. suggested creating a wheelchair-accessible miniature “safety town” with scaled streets; another attendee suggested a laminated bird scavenger-hunt to add an educational element to the park. The commission flagged potential site constraints near Green Wavey Field — including possible wetlands and an existing paper road — and said the area may be challenging for permanent development. A temporary greenhouse funded through federal grant funds was discussed as a possible complementary feature to the rain garden built by Sustainable Audubon.

The hearing included operational clarifications: grilling stations have been permanently removed for safety, the public restrooms are open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and security was enhanced after early vandalism with additional cameras and automatic-locking doors on the restrooms. Commissioners said they are developing a sponsorship package offering naming opportunities for benches and signs as a revenue stream.

Danielle Ingves, borough administrator and municipal clerk, said the survey will remain open through Jan. 26 to allow time for analysis ahead of a rescheduled follow-up public hearing on Feb. 10 that will align with the Green Acres timeline. The commission made motions to open the meeting to public comment, to close the public-comment portion later in the hearing, and to adjourn; each motion was made by Commissioner Andrea Da Wendell, seconded by Commissioner David F. Alemi, and carried by voice vote of all in favor.

Next steps: survey analysis and engineering assessments will finalize the project cost estimate; staff will prepare the Green Acres application and follow-up public notice. The grant decision is expected several months after submission.