News

Chatham Twp. gets the OK for Shunpike Field

Tuesday, September 11, 2009, 8:54PM

By TRACY NESS

CHATHAM TWP. - The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has finally approved the permit clearing the way the re-development of the Shunpike Field Complex in the township. The announcement was made at the Township Committee meeting on Thursday, Sept. 10.

"I was always confident that this project would be approved. The DEP just has its own process and things take a while to get done," said Township Mayor Kevin Tubbs. "The availability of another turf field will have a good impact on our field shortage problems - especially if we keep having all this rain."

As part of the permit approval process, the township had to grant a conservation easement for a large portion of the 17-acre property adjacent to the field. "Most of the land has environmental constraints and could not be used for recreational purposes," said Tubbs. The agreement does not include the portion where there is additional field parking. The conservation easement was unanimously approved by the committee.

Township Engineer John Ruschke has already begun the engineering drawings necessary for the project to go out to bid. The field concept has remained largely unchanged with one large multi-purpose turf field and two baseball diamonds whose outfields can be used as practice fields for other sports. Ruschke explained that the township would go out for a base bid to reconfigure the baseball fields, conduct drainage work and construct the turf field. Alternatives to the base bid will include the additional costs to install field lights at the turf field, new restroom facilities, a snack shack and additional parking.

"We are in the process of getting feedback from recreation, Chatham Borough, the Chatham Athletic Foundation and representatives of various sports as we are finalizing the design," said Ruschke. Residents are also welcome to provide feedback at the Planning Board hearing for the field, which has been tentatively scheduled for Sept. 21. The township hopes the project will be ready to go out for bid by October.

Mayor Tubbs said that once the bids come back, they'll have a better idea of the scope of the project and prepare a construction schedule. "Shunpike Field has high usage in the spring with our recreation sports and we would want to minimally impact that usage," he said. "We won't know until the bids come in."

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