The borough is planning major recreational facility enhancements and public safety improvements with $1.1 million in newly obtained grants.
“The multiple grants the borough received over the past several months are a financial boon for taxpayers since they will enable us to continue improving our community,” Mayor Tom Calabrese said. “We are grateful for the generosity shown to us by county and state agencies.”
Earlier this month, the state Department of Environmental Protection provided a non-matching grant of $478,260 for new tennis courts that will be installed at West Grantwood Park on Oakdene Avenue, Calabrese said. The grant was provided by the DEP under a plan to create high quality local recreational improvements.
Additionally, the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) provided a $69,000 grant this month for replacing playground equipment at West Grantwood Park, he said. These improvements, funded through its Division of Local Government Services, follow the 2022 installation of a more than $1 million athletic field and lighting mostly funded by grants.
“These enhancements ensure that our local parks are ranked among the best in Bergen County,” Calabrese said.
To upgrade the HVAC systems – heating, ventilation, and air conditioning – for the police, fire and EMS sections of the municipal building on Palisade Ave, BCCD recently provided a $300,000 grant, Calabrese said. Last year, the borough got a $460,000 BCCD grant for the work. Additional work for other areas is also planned later this year, he said.
The state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) this month provided a $73,000 grant under the American Rescue Firefighter program that will enable the fire department to purchase 14 full sets of turnout gear, the professional term used for protective suits firefighters wear in emergency situations.
In March, the borough obtained a $125,027 grant from Bergen County for its ongoing $1.2 million improvement program for Honor Park at 500 Gorge Road, which houses the Seniors Citizens Center. Under the project, new picnic tables, recreational gaming tables, park benches, a gazabo, a bicycle rack, and improved lighting are being provided for residents. The project is expected to be completed this year.
Additionally, the borough will use a $20,000 grant obtained from the NJ Department of Agriculture’s American Rescue Plan to combat Spotted Lanternfly that prey both trees and plants.
And it received both a $8,750 grant from the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety to pay overtime to police officers during special enforcement details, and a $9,250 grant from the state DCA will to fund inclusive summer camp art classes.