23 Jun ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NEW WALLY CHOICE COMMUNITY CENTER AND PRACTICE FOOTBALL FIELD IN ESSEX COUNTY GLENFIELD PARK
Published on June 23, 2023
Montclair, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced the opening of a new, larger Wally Choice Community Center and synthetic grass surface practice football field in Essex County Glenfield Park on Thursday, June 22nd. The improvements are part of the County Executive’s ongoing initiative to revitalize the Essex County Parks System and ensure its facilities continue to meet the growing needs of the community.
“The Wally Choice Community Center always was one of the most used facilities in our Parks System. The larger, modern accommodations make the building more inviting and provides visitors and community groups with flexible spaces that can be used for senior activities, after school enrichment programs, meeting space for organization and room for families to celebrate milestone events,” DiVincenzo said. “We gathered a great deal of input from area residents and those who frequently used the park to design this building. I know the community will make great use of this space,” he added.
“On behalf of the Murphy administration and Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, we were happy to provide $5 million to help facilitate the modernization of the facility here in Glenfield Park. We partner with many governments and organizations and the partnership we have with Essex County is one of our best. We hope that through our efforts to provide funding the partnership will continue,” said NJ Department of Community Affairs Deputy Commissioner Sam Viavattine.
“New brick and mortar, same space for new memories, same commitment, same purpose, same passion and same dedication, with a fabulous new space. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Choice as we connected with the community to begin to revitalize our parks years ago. To see this new edifice, it is a true legacy in the making that captures his commitment and purpose for the next generation,” said Senate Majority Leader and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz.
DiVincenzo noted that Grass Roots founder Wally Choice will continue to be honored by transferring his name from the original community center to the new, 10,000-square-foot building. In 2009, the old community center was named as the “Essex County Wally Choice Community Center” in honor of the Montclair resident, who was President and Executive Director of Montclair Grass Roots, a community organization that has provided recreation and educational enrichment programs for children, for more than half a century.
“Grass Roots Summer Camp will return this summer and it will be our 54th year. I want to thank the County Executive for the foresight to construct a building that the community will be able to use and grow in and prosper. It’s for our children, parents and all the people in our community and we’re delighted to be here,” said Celine Choice. “Thank you to everyone who has been participating in the celebration of my father’s life. We’ve gathered many times in this park and now we are here in the new temple. The old building, those memories will never disappear, and this building here is to create new memories for years to come,” added Wally Choice, Jr.
The new building is about twice the size of the former park building. It has a large activity room, a computer room, office space, a kitchen, and a room to be used as a substation for the Montclair Police Department. A patio for outdoor seating is located on the back of the building. There is a covered entrance in front of the building and a new parking lot with about 40 parking spaces enhances access to the site.
“I did not have the pleasure of knowing Waly Choice like so many others did, but I have heard much about him and what he meant to the community and this building will help to continue the legacy of what he brought to Montclair. The Board of Commissioners is happy to partner with the County Executive for yet another great project in our county park system,” Commissioner President Wayne Richardson.
“Community is what Montclair is all about. What really makes Montclair a fabulous place in my mind is community – people like the Choice family. It is important to figure out where we’ve come from to figure out where we’re going and today, we are celebrating more than just this edifice. This will remind us to maintain that legacy for the future,” said Commissioner Brendan Gill.
“This is so special because this is a celebration of the old and promise of the future. Thank you to the County Executive, Board of County Commissioners for this great facility. This is about the next generation and the opportunity to grow, learn and share in the values that make Montclair special. This is what community s about,” said Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller.
“My past here in this great part is one that I’ll never forget or give up. This park is a great legacy to Montclair and this facility represents progress. I hope every child that comes through these doors gets the love and opportunity that I received growing up in this park. I look forward to what this building with bring and do for our community as we continue the legacy and the work,” said Montclair 4th ward Councilor David Cummings.
The Wally Choice Community Center is designed similarly to recent community center projects completed in Essex County Cedar Grove Park, Essex County Watsessing Park, Essex County Weequahic Park and Essex County West Side Park. Other community center improvement projects currently are underway in Essex County Irvington Park, Essex County Independence Park, and Essex County Branch Brook Park.
Also, part of the project is the modernization of the football field with a synthetic grass surface and sports lighting to make play safer, reduce maintenance and enable increased usage of the field.
“At MNDC we teach the three C’s: Care, Concern and Compassion, and that’s what this park means. We thank God for the vision of our County Executive because it was just a year ago that we stood here to break ground and look at what a difference a year makes,” said MNDC Executive Director Craig Dunn. “MNDC will continue the work we did this year to increase our computer program and offering an after-school program for many of Montclair’s youth. A few blocks left and right of this building there are approximately 3,500 people living at or below poverty level and it is our mission and goal to change the statistic. Today is a day of celebration,” he added.
“It is so important for us to say thank you to the County Executive and all those who made this happen. For the Montclair Cobras, this is instrumental in our student-athletes’ success. Thank you to the Montclair Cobras staff past and present who have been working 365 days a year on behalf of our youth,” said Will Young of the Montclair Cobras.
Comito Associates from Newark was awarded a professional services contract for $525,000 to design the building and park improvements. Grove Contracting LLC from Cedar Grove was awarded a publicly bid contract for $10,619,000 to perform the construction work. The project was funded through the Essex County Capital Budget and with a $5 million grant from the NJ Department of Community Affairs.
Revitalizing Essex County Glenfield Park
In 2022, the Little League/softball field was updated with a new synthetic grass playing surface and scoreboard. In 2017, the tennis courts and basketball courts, named for the late Bobby Hurt, were resurfaced and new equipment was installed. In 2015, the playground and restroom building received a facelift. In 2009, the football field and two softball diamonds were modernized with new irrigation and drainage systems and resurfaced with sod to improve playing conditions. Football and soccer goals were installed on the field. A synthetic grass surface was installed on the softball field in the eastern section of the park.
In 2006, a major facelift included rehabilitating the tennis and basketball courts, developing a new horseshoe pit, repairing the perimeter wrought iron fence, installing an eight-station exercise course, enhancing the aesthetics of the park entranceways, installing new picnic tables, repairing the community building and field house, and removing dead trees and branches. Essex County partnered with Montclair Grass Roots 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. Opened in 1910, Glenfield Park is about 20 acres. It is the 13th largest park in the Essex County Parks System.