Extra Parking Spaces Nixed For $2M Verona Park Project

VERONA, NJ — Essex County will not be going through with plans to create an extra 52 parking spaces in Verona Park as part of a $2 million round of improvements after several Township Council members and local residents expressed opposition to the idea.

Earlier this month, Essex County officials announced that two projects totaling $2 million were being planned in an effort to modernize the playground and tennis courts and create additional parking in Verona Park.

• See related article: Essex County Will Put $2M Into Verona Park Improvements

The project also included plans to create an additional 52 parking spaces, an idea that concerned several Verona residents, who cited possibly diminished views of the lake and safety concerns in the parking lot for children, NorthJersey.com reported.

During the Oct. 10 Verona Town Council meeting, three of the five Verona council members approved a resolution asking the county to forego the parking lot, NorthJersey.com stated. Read the full report here.

The tennis court upgrades will still be done, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. stated.

Multiple local residents praised the decision to forgo the parking lot project on social media.

• “Thanks for preserving green space and the Olmsted aesthetic.”
• “Thank you for listening to residents. Refreshing, to say the least.”
• “Thank you for not building on green space.”

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Verona-Cedar Grove Facebook page here.

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Photo: Essex County