30 Sep ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES MODERNIZATION OF SOCCER FIELD IN ESSEX COUNTY IRVINGTON PARK
Published on September 30, 2023
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that a new synthetic grass playing surface was installed on the soccer field in Essex County Irvington Park in Irvington on Thursday, September 28th. The project is part of the County Executive’s ongoing initiative to revitalize the Essex County Parks System and provide the most up-to-date recreation facilities.
“Soccer is a very popular sport and I want to make sure we have athletic facilities that meet the needs of our children and provide our children with safe, modern fields to play on,” DiVincenzo said.
“Joe has always been supportive of updating the county parks, especially Irvington Park. This is a phenomenal improvement to this soccer field and we appreciate how supportive he has been to our township an our children,” Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss said.
“On my way here, I thought about all the people who will benefit from this new field and will play on this field. I want to thank the County Executive for his ongoing attention to Irvington Park,” NJ State Senator Renee Burgess said.
“Joe is always working to improve and upgrade our parks. This is an amazing soccer field and our children are going to love it,” Irvington Council President Jamillah Beasley said.
“Joe and his team leave nothing untouched and they do an amazing job continually improving our parks,” Irvington Councilman Glenn Vick said.
“Whenever I visit Irvington Park, I think of my husband Bilal because his heart was in this park. I appreciate you continuing to improve and enhance this park for the community,” said Baseemah Bealey, wife of the late Essex County Commissioner and Irvington Councilman D. Bilal Beasley.
The Essex County Department of Public Works designed the field improvements in-house and monitored the project so delays were avoided. Applied Landscape Technologies from East Hanover was awarded a publicly bid contract for $838,397 to perform the construction work. Funding was provided with a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. The project started in June and was completed in three months.
Revitalizing Essex County Irvington Park
Currently under construction is the new 13,000-square-foot D. Bilal Beasley Community Center, which will replace the old cinderblock building next to the playground.
In 2018, the tennis courts were resurfaced. In 2017, the basketball courts and walking track were updated and lighting along the walking paths was installed. In 2016, the field house was renovated and renamed as the D. Bilal Beasley Community Center, in memory of the late Freeholder and Irvington Councilman. In 2011, a synthetic grass surface soccer field was installed and three entrances to the park were upgraded. In 2006, a two-story, 2,100-square-foot addition was constructed onto the community center to create more space for the public to meet, storage space and public restrooms. In 2004, the tennis courts, walking track, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball fields and three park entrances were upgraded. In 2003, a rubberized safety surface was installed in the Irvington Park playground and lighting was improved. Essex County has partnered with the Irvington Park Conservancy to obtain funding from the New Jersey Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, five off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. Irvington Park is 24.38 acres and is the 12th largest park in the Essex County system. Land for the park was purchased in 1906 and improvements to the site were completed in 1913.