| It has been dreamed about for more than 50 years | | | | in various forms for more than five decades but |
| by various city officials charged with providing | | | | shifted into high gear in 2002 when Mayor Adam |
| recreational opportunities here and on Tuesday night, | | | | Schneider directed Jacob L. Jones, the city's director |
| Manahassett Creek Park - which one day will be the | | | | of community and economic development, and Carl |
| largest park in the city - received construction | | | | Turner, the city's assistant planning director, to |
| approval. | | | | explore with the state what aid might be available to |
| The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to | | | | help bring the park to fruition. |
| award the construction job to a Freehold firm that | | | | "To get to this point was quite a challenge," Jones |
| agreed to build the facility for just under $4 million. | | | | admitted. It was one of the few jobs the city has |
| Precise Construction was among 11 bidders on the | | | | bidded recently to come in under the allocated |
| project. Bids were received April 25, and Precise was | | | | amount, said Kevin J. Hayes Sr., the city's director of |
| the lowest, agreeing to perform the work for an | | | | Building and Development. |
| amount not to exceed $3,975,830. | | | | The state's Green Acres program will provide |
| "We had a large number of bidders, which we were | | | | $1,010,333.50 while another grand - in the amount of |
| happy about," said City Business Administrator | | | | $6,438.99 - came in from the state Department of |
| Howard H. Woolley Jr. Officials had predicted there | | | | Community Affairs. |
| would be substantial interest in the project due to a | | | | The bid amount was good news to City Council |
| lack of the lack of construction jobs right now. | | | | President Michael DeStefano and Councilman David G. |
| The park, which will be home to the lion's share of | | | | Brown because the council had agreed to phase in |
| the city's athletic fields, is in the city's north end. It is | | | | the project over several years to keep costs down. |
| bounded by the creek and Long Branch Avenue to | | | | New, residents will get a completed park a year after |
| the east, Airsdale Avenue to the south, Narragansett | | | | construction begins. |
| Avenue to the west and Bay Avenue to the north. | | | | Last fall, the council approved a $2.6 million bond |
| The athletic fields are a critical need in the city, | | | | ordinance, authorizing $2.48 million in bond anticipation |
| because as an urban area, there is little space | | | | notes to pay the cost of the 22-acre park, which will |
| available on which to construct athletic facilities. In | | | | include two soccer fields, a football field, a softball |
| addition, after the school system embarked on a | | | | field, two Little League fields, four tennis courts and |
| major expansion program some five years ago, | | | | two basketball courts. The athletic fields are a critical |
| many of its fields and courts were rendered | | | | need in the city, because as an urban area, there is |
| unavailable for recreational purposes. | | | | little space available on which to construct athletic |
| The Project has been on the Planning Board agenda | | | | facilities. |