Caldwells Get $450K From County For Park Improvements

CALDWELLS, NJ — Essex County awarded more than $3 million to 21 municipalities – including Caldwell, North Caldwell and West Caldwell – as part of its latest round of Local Aid grants, officials announced Friday.

Caldwell and West Caldwell got $150,000 each to finance field improvements at Harrison School.

North Caldwell got $150,000 to finance dredging at Walker's Pond.

A full list of the chosen projects and awards follows below. Essex Fells didn’t submit an application for funding, officials noted.

According to county officials, the funds came from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and will be used to improve municipal playgrounds, recreation and athletic facilities, community swimming pools and parks infrastructure across the region.

It’s the sixth round of grant funding Essex County has provided to the municipalities from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund since 2003.

Approved by voters in 1998, money from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund can be used to maintain recreation facilities, acquire open space, preserve historic sites or support projects that enhance water quality or flow. The Trust Fund is replenished from a dedicated tax that is collected quarterly from property owners.

Each of the 22 municipalities in Essex County was eligible to receive a $150,000 grant to help fund a local parks improvement project. The awards are outright grants; municipalities didn’t have to provide matching funds.

According to Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., the grants have gained a new importance as towns struggle to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“When the 2020 application process for the Local Aid Program began last year, the coronavirus wasn’t even on our radar,” DiVincenzo said. “Now, as restrictions are being lifted and we return to a new normal, our parks and recreation spaces will have an even greater role than before.”

• See related article: Essex County Reopens Parks, Golf Courses With Some Restrictions
• See related article: 'Nature Is For Everyone, Not Just The Rich,' NJ Sen. Rice Says

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