High-Profile Cast Of NJ Democrats Cheer Watsessing Park Reopening – Bloomfield, NJ Patch

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Essex County officially has its first “all-access playground.”

Last week, community members and elected officials gathered in Watsessing Park to celebrate its reopening after a major renovation effort. The park, located in Bloomfield and East Orange, is now home to a playground built with entirely ADA-compliant equipment… including swings, bridges and slides.

It’s the first of its kind in the Essex County Parks System to be designed for children of all physical abilities, officials stated.

The county also built a new community center and an on-site parking lot with access to the playground as part of the overall renovation project.

The new playground got support from several high-profile New Jersey Democratic leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Senator Teresa Ruiz, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo and Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman LeRoy Jones (read more below).

County officials offered the following details about the renovations:

“The old community center was last renovated in 2008 and has been demolished. It has been replaced with an expanded and more modern building. The new structure has an enlarged room for community meetings, gatherings and events, storage rooms and modern restrooms. The restrooms will be handicap accessible and will be larger in size to accommodate playground users and visitors to the community center.”

Officials added:

“Comito Associates from Newark was awarded a $145,000 contract to design the Watsessing Park community center building. The Shauger Group, Inc. from East Orange was awarded a publicly bid contract for $1,982,580 to perform the construction work. Remington & Vernick Engineers from Secaucus was awarded a $65,000 contract to design the all access playground. Picerno Giordano Construction from Kenilworth was awarded a publicly bid contract for $1,436,000 to build the playground. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project and answered questions to avoid delays. Funding was provided from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and with a grant from NJ Department of Community Affairs.”

Work started in January and was completed in seven months.

“It says a lot when half of the people using the playground are part of your organization,” said Jennifer Preziotti-Gamble, president of the Friends of Watsessing Park Conservancy. “We are happy that the county executive gave us this magnificent playground that serves everyone in the community.”

A BLUE WAVE OF SUPPORT FOR WATSESSING PARK

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. and Freeholder President Brendan Gill both offered a thumbs-up for the renovations.

DiVincenzo thanked Sweeney and Gov. Phil Murphy for helping to provide funds for the project.

“They have been great advocates for the residents of New Jersey and true friends of Essex County,” DiVincenzo said.

“The playground and community center are wonderful additions to Watsessing Park and will go a long way toward bringing people together,” Gill said.

The swell of Democratic solidarity at Watsessing came a month after a large coalition of progressive groups blasted U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, another prominent New Jersey Democrat, for accepting funds raised during an event spearheaded by DiVincenzo and embattled political insider George Norcross.

Comments of support for the new park included:

Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver – “Parks build family memories and, with this new playground, children who previously had been shut out because of their physical limitations can now play alongside other children. [The] county executive made a commitment to improve the parks and he has left no community untouched.”

Senate President Stephen Sweeney – “It is incredible to see accessible playgrounds opening in our state. I entered politics because I saw that my daughter did not have the same opportunities to learn, play, work and live as other kids. Spaces like this are crucial to making children with disabilities feel included in their communities, something every parent knows is vital to a happy, healthy child. This playground will provide countless kids the opportunity to learn, play and grow with their peers and I hope we can open parks like this in other areas of the state.”

Senator Teresa Ruiz – “We have leadership that listens to the community and brings our recreation facilities up to speed with the needs of our residents.”

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo – “This is an amazing facility and it’s a model that the county executive has introduced throughout the county.”

LeRoy Jones (Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman) – “Playgrounds and nice parks help build community and strengthens our diversity. Today we are witnessing the rebirth of a community.”

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