The town cut the ribbon on another piece of open space last week as the Acorn Road Riverfront Playground was officially unveiled. Although a drop in temperature kept kids from taking advantage of it, the pocket park will play a vital role in an area lacking in open space.
“Preserving our open space for all our residents and providing our youngsters with more activities have been among our top priorities,” said Mayor Dennis Elwell.
The park was paid for by a $95,517 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection as the result of efforts exerted by Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto and state Sen. Nicholas Sacco.
“Having Senator Sacco and Tony Impreveduto working for us in Secaucus really helps the town,” Elwell said.
The park and its associated parking lot will also provide residents in the area with sorely needed parking spaces, Elwell noted.
Elwell said Farm Road – as one of the oldest and narrowest roads in town – needs parking places along its length. Part of this is due to the large amount of new development that occurred in an area that used to be farmland.
“Most of the roads in that area are very narrow,” Elwell said in a later interview, “and we have to make accommodations to find people parking. We are aware of the need and we are taking steps to do something about it.”
Equally importantly, the park will provide an access point to the river walk. The town is constructing a walkway along the river, from behind the high school on the north end of Secaucus to Laurel Hill Park on the south end.
Although there is some concern about the fact that the park has no safety fence to keep kids from wandering off the high drop leading to the river itself, Elwell said a barrier will be constructed shortly.
“We do not expect a lot of kids to be out there in the cold,” he said.
The playground equipment, which makes up a portion of the park, provides the latest safety features, and the rest of the passive park is complete with benches and lunch tables. The playground area is separated from the rest of the park by a low stone-like wall.
The park, from which the river can be viewed as well as Giant’s Stadium, is open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in season.