HOWELL – In a unanimous vote, the Township Council has given its approval for over $2 million in upgrades to Soldier Memorial Park. Sitting before township residents comprised mainly of young athletes, parents and coaches, the Council heard a presentation of several proposals regarding building permanent bathrooms and lighting for several ball fields at the location.
Citing the receipt of “numerous emails from various residents all overwhelmingly asking for support for this project,” Township Manager Brian Geoghegan turned the presentation over to Bennett Matlack of CME Associates, who outlined several possible permanent improvements to the park which ranged in complexity and cost.
The park, which has several playgrounds as well as five softball fields and 10 multi-use fields, has no bathroom facilities and no lighting for night games. Currently, temporary generator-powered lighting must be used should evening sporting events be held, with removable stall bathrooms brought onto the site. During the busiest gatherings, such as Howell Day, as many as 12 temporary bathrooms are brought in for the event.
The most expensive design, which the Council was in favor of, called for six men’s stalls and six women’s stalls, with one additional “family” bathroom that would also function as a handicapped and unisex toilet. The building would be concrete and include a storage bin as well as an extended overhang roof, under which four picnic tables would be situated. The structure carries a price tag of $925,000 and was favored over lesser designs that had only four stalls for each bathroom, as well as a prefabricated structure that had only three stalls per bathroom with no family/handicapped/unisex bathroom.
While the least expensive option could be constructed quickly, the Council members all appeared to favor the larger, concrete structure that will also feature water fountains.
“The building is made out of concrete, so this is built to last,” said Matlack in defense of the cost. “It’s meant to be a public building, which is much more indestructible than a stick-built home.” Approximately $200,000 of the project cost is related to the estimated expense of running sewer lines to the structure, and not associated with the building itself. Due to the fact that the bathrooms will not be heated, it is projected to be a three-season building which would be closed during the winter months of December, January, and February.
“There’s absolutely no debate on whether or not there’s a need for this building,” said Councilwoman Evelyn O’Donnell. “That’s clear.”
The Council also heard proposals on lighting for fields at the complex, and again, the members all appeared to be in favor of the most comprehensive plan, which would provide permanent lighting for two softball fields and two multi-purpose fields at a projected cost of $1.3 million. Part of the cost of the improvements will be defrayed due to the fact that Howell Township has a grant from Monmouth County to be applied towards such projects.
“We’re getting two hundred and fifty thousand [dollars]from a grant,” said Councilman John Bonevich. “If we don’t act on it, that grant goes bye-bye.”
The tax bill of Howell residents will not go up, according to the Council, because the backing for this project is coming from Open Space funds to pay the balance of the construction costs. The fund currently has approximately $4.2 million in it at this time.
The Council, as well as members of the public who came out to support the project, were all in agreement that improvements to many township parks were necessary, if not overdue.
“So, tonight, this is a start,” Bonevich said. “This is the Soldier Memorial. This is where we’re starting at.”
Once bids and contracts are in place, construction could start immediately, and the 10- to 12-week projection for completion would have the improvements in place by the fall season. It was also cautioned by Matlack that supply-chain issues could slow the completion and potentially drive up the cost past the current projections.
“I understand that there’s a cost for everything,” said Deputy Mayor Pam Richmond. “I think that everyone’s coming together to make sure this happens, not just for now, but for the future of Howell.”
