Vernon awards Maple Grange bid

VERNON-On June 6, Vernon awarded Tomco Construction of Wharton a $1 million contract to build two synthetic turf multipurpose ball fields and one natural great lawn. The synthetic fields are designed for football, soccer and lacrosse. The great lawn is for use as a playing or practice field for other sports. The fields will be illuminated to allow night games to be played. All in all, about three acres will be ready for use on Sept. 6, said township engineer Lou Kneip. "We decided to use artificial turf to ensure that the ball fields can be used continuously," said Kneip. "Natural fields generally have to be rested. Also, artificial turf will deter geese." According to Kneip, the Vernon public works department will do preparatory earthwork and site excavation to save money on the project. "The September deadline for completing the work is aggressive, but we want to have the field ready for fall sports," Kneip continued. "We're also getting ready to send out a proposal for the recreation center, which we've decided should be a modular unit. We'd like to have the building ready in October, but if this isn't possible, we'll have to make do with portable facilities." The construction costs are funded in part from the proceeds of Vernon's $804,000 sale of the Black Creek Lenni-Lenape American Indian site to the Department of Environmental Protection's Green Acres Program. Vernon had wanted to use the entire Maple Grange area to create the new park. However, in April, the Superior Court of New Jersey's Appellate Division court ruled against Vernon in favor the Department of Environmental Protection's position that Black Creek Native American area of Maple Grange Park must be preserved and protected. Subsequently, the DEP Green Acres Program bought the Black Creek area of Maple Grange from Vernon Township and added it to Wawayanda State Park. According to Gary G. Gardner, assistant township manager, the township passed a $2.2 million bond in 1999 to purchase Maple Grange. In the Nov. 2002 general election, voters defeated by a narrow margin a $1,999,000 bond that would have provided funds to build a more expansive park than Vernon now envisions.