New Spray Park To Be Built In Union County

LINDEN, NJ — Designs for the construction of a new state-of-the-art spray park with 33 attractions at John Russell Wheeler Park in Linden was unveiled by Union County officials.

The spray park will replace the existing pool, which is slated for demolition in the next few weeks due to the declining usage over the past 15 years. Additionally the cost comparison is generally less due to maintenance and does not require life guards.

“The spray park will be a regional attraction for our residents and their children who want to enjoy the warmer weather days outdoors," Freeholder Christopher Hudak, a resident of Linden, said. "We have continued to make upgrades to Wheeler Park that is making it one of the finest recreational parks in the County.”

Designed by USA Architects of Somerville, the spray park is anticipated to contain the following items, once a construction contract is finalized:

• Demolition of the existing pool, which will be filled in and built over;
• Demolition of the existing pool house and construction of a new field house, which will consist of locker rooms for the nearby turf fields, and changing rooms for the spray park as well as new rest rooms;
• The existing concession stand will be renovated;
• Construction of a spray park with 33 above-ground attractions including water cannons, slides, dump buckets, a dragon, spray bus, pirate ship and surf shack;
• The spray park will also feature 26 surface sprays including water tunnels, water jets and geysers;
• The parking lot will be redone with new lights added;
• The walking path (macadam) around the area will also be renovated.

Wheeler Park, which borders Routes 1 and 9 in Linden, contains a playground, three athletic fields, a skate park and walking paths. The park is named after John Russell Wheeler, the first Linden man killed in action during World War I.

(Photo by Jim Lowey/County of Union: Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Freeholders Christopher Hudak and Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County Manager Alfred Faella and Union County Parks and Recreation Director Ron Zuber joined Linden Mayor Derek Armstead and Council President Jorge Alvarez and Councilman Barry Javick in reviewing a rendering of a planned spray park at Wheeler Park in Linden.)

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