WESTFIELD — Plans to convert almost seven acres of underutilized scrub brush into a new recreational asset are underway at Tamaques Park, where town representatives are working to lay out the groundwork for necessary improvements.
“We started this process by reviewing materials from years past like the Parks Master Plan and have started to discuss preliminary proposals for what might be done to improve the park,” said Recreation Commission member Jeff Perella, speaking during the commission’s regular meeting on Monday night. Mr. Perella, along with a number of other community representatives and officials, was selected to serve on a newly-formed Tamaques Park steering committee shortly after the town council announced its intentions to revitalize the property back in April.
Last month, Councilman David Kiefer, who also sits on the steering committee, listed pickleball courts, new athletic fields, additional parking, restroom facilities and walking paths as some potential options for the space. Town representatives also have said that it may be possible to relocate the ice rink from its seasonal location at Gumbert Park to Tamaques once the area is cleared out.
“I want to be very clear that we’re not talking about getting rid of the nature trails that everyone loves. We are talking about a section of overgrown, unused acreage across from the Conservation Center that isn’t currently serving any purpose,” Recreation Commission Chair Jennifer Gilman, another member of the steering committee, said, adding that there will be “ample opportunities” for residents and different stakeholder groups to share their thoughts on the project over the coming months.
“Once we have a more solid understanding of what the community would like to see, the steering committee will draft a Request For Proposal to find the right project manager, and then we’ll get to work,” Ms. Gilman said.
In the meantime, Mr. Perella said, the town may need to start looking into potential remediation options for the seven-acre plot.
“There is a lot of refuse back there – things like broken glass, old cement pipes, construction debris…it’s kind of a mess,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to the day when all of that is cleaned up.”
Other recreational spaces in town, including the playground at Memorial Park, also will be seeing some improvements over the coming months, Recreation Director Megan Schaffer said.
“We’re really excited about this. We have been talking about this for over a year,” Ms. Schaffer said, adding that plans for the park include new ground surfaces, fencing and “a very inclusive playground that will have something for everyone.”
Earlier this year, the town council agreed to foot the upfront costs of the playground renovations (about $600,000) out of its capital budget. The recreation commission is hoping to “repay” some of those funds through grant appropriations, Ms. Schaffer explained on Monday.
“We were selected to receive a $ 100,000 grant from Union County this week, which is great,” she said. “Hopefully, some of our other applications will come through as well.”
The commission hopes to be able to start work on the new playground as quickly as possible.
In other Memorial Park news, pool memberships are almost sold out for the 2024 summer season.
“We only have a handful left,” Ms. Schaffer said. “The season is going to be here before we know it.”
The Westfield Memorial Pool is expected to open for the season on Saturday, June 1.
