Ground has been broken for a $2.7 million renovation project that will upgrade the playground, spray park and soccer field at Watsessing Park in Bloomfield and East Orange.
The improvements include replacing the existing playground with new equipment featuring an aquatic theme to match the adjacent spray park, and adding shade structures and seating areas for parents, Essex County officials said.
The project will also repair spray park equipment and replace the synthetic grass surface on the soccer and lacrosse field due to regular wear and tear.
“The improvements to the conventional playground, repairs to the spray park, and replacement of the synthetic grass surface at Watsessing Park exemplify our ongoing commitment to provide the most modern recreation facilities that meet the needs of our residents,” Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. said in a written statement.
The playground renovation, designed by Remington and Vernick Engineers from Secaucus for $147,000, will be constructed by Picerno-Giordano Construction from Kenilworth under a $1,589,900 contract.
The field improvements will cost $1,125,000 and will be performed by Zenith Construction Services from Orange.
Both projects are funded through grants from the New Jersey Green Acres Program and are scheduled for completion in the spring of 2026. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor both projects to avoid delays, officials said.
Watsessing Park spans 69.67 acres and ranks as the fourth largest park in the Essex County system. The park was designed in 1899 by the Olmstead Brothers firm and is part of the first county park system established in the United States in 1895.
The Essex County Park System encompasses more than 6,000 acres across 23 parks and five reservations, including facilities such as a zoo, golf courses and off-leash dog areas.
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