Brookside Park Improvements: Fact Sheet

On April 18, 2023, the Township Council approved a bond ordinance to fund conceptual improvements at Brookside Park that were proposed by our town’s Recreation Commission.  The project is part of an ongoing, town-wide program to improve and modernize the infrastructure of all municipal-owned parks.

The proposed project includes:

• Safeguarding and connecting the half-mile nature trail by adding two new pedestrian footbridges, with prefabricated steel truss
• Adding resurfaced, permanent pickleball courts and new basketball courts, with striping and netting
• Repurposing the sports field to accommodate a variety of youth sports in the outfield
• Improvements to the ballfield, including dugouts, backstops, foul poles, a scoreboard, artificial turf, a portable pitching mound, upgrades to spectator seating and accessibility for all people.
• Landscape improvements, such as new topsoil and hydroseed, as well as various aesthetic improvements throughout the park
• Drainage management to control flooding of the ballfield
• A rain garden, to replenish groundwater, remove pollutants, reduce flooding and encourage new habitat, such as butterflies, songbirds and other wildlife.

The project, to cost no more than for $3.819 million, has several initial phases, such as permitting and design, before bids can be advertised for construction.  It is anticipated that the initial phases shall commence once the ordinance is effective.

Brookside Park, the largest park in the municipal park system and one of the most popular for use, is 23.3 acres. The ballfield area is an estimated two acres. The park, which also features a picnic pavilion, parking and a recently-improved playground, is primarily dedicated to active use and contains a large swath of natural habitat.