Westwood, New Jersey (May 10, 2023) — The Westwood Recreation Department is pleased to announce the completion of construction of its newest playground at Brookside Park located at Brookside Ave. off Lake Street. Now visitors to the park will be able to enjoy this new playground with “tree-house” styling which includes slides, rock and plank climbing stations, tunnels, game and musical centers, and more. The renovation was funded through the Bergen County Open Space Grant and the Borough of Westwood Capital Fund, and installed by Whirl Construction with assistance from the Westwood Department of Public Works. Four new benches donated by the Gross Family were also added to the park.
The new playground also features a “parent-infant” swing which allows parents to safely swing face-to-face with their infant/toddler. All of the new playground apparatus is installed over a certified woodchip surface ensuring soft-landings and level access for wheelchairs. Longtime visitors to Brookside Park will be pleased to see the inclusion of everyone’s favorite “turtle” feature which was originally installed in the 1960s.
Westwood Recreation Director Gary Buchheister is delighted to bring this final phase of the Brookside Park renovations to a close. “Now, just in time for summer, our young residents will have a new fun place to get outside for playdates and picnics with pals,” Buchheister said. “We are especially pleased to be able to have the park ready for our Summer Playground Program attendees who will very much appreciate all the park and playground upgrades.”
The new playground area is the most recent renovation to Brookside Park which also had its basketball court renovated and new lights added in 2019 as well as a new pavilion earlier this year. The park is the home to the Summer Playground Program for grades 4-8 and is frequently used for recreation department classes and programs. Other amenities to the park include a gaga-ball pit, an open field area, bike-racks, picnic seating, barbeque grills and access to the brook for fishing. An important safety feature is the lightning detection system which sounds an alarm and flashes lights when lightning is detected within 10 miles, ensuring that park-goers can leave the park or seek shelter in a timely manner. Brookside Park is available via permit to Westwood residents interested in hosting small parties. For permit and rental information visit westwoodnj.gov/recreation or call 201-664-7882.