Upgrades At Nutley Park Include Mix Of Synthetic, Natural Grass Turf

NUTLEY, NJ — A series of upgrades have crossed the finish line at Yanticaw Park in Nutley, county officials announced Friday.

Essex County – which runs and maintains the park – said the upgrades include synthetic playing surfaces that were installed on the infields of the baseball and softball fields. The additions also include new irrigation and drainage systems.

The upgrades will reduce maintenance and maximize use of the fields, county officials said, offering the following details about the work in a news release:

“The John Henry Walker Memorial Baseball Field and an adjacent Little League baseball/softball field have an improved underground drainage system, irrigation system and a synthetic playing surface on the infields of both fields. The outfields of both fields remain as natural grass. New fencing, covered dugouts, bleachers for spectators, pathways, a retaining wall and landscaping have been installed. In addition, the pathways around the two sports fields are repaved and additional landscaping planted.”

County officials added:

“French and Parrello from Wall received a professional services contract of $91,925 to design the field improvements. Zenith Construction from Orange was awarded a publicly bid contract of $1,994,450 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. The project was funded with grants from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and the American Rescue Fund.”

According to Essex County, the concept of updating the infields with synthetic playing surfaces and leaving the outfields with natural grass was first introduced in the county parks system at Brookdale Park (Montclair/Bloomfield). Because of the success of the project, it was replicated in Yanticaw Park and Branch Brook Park.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said it is “imperative” to figure out new ways to maintain athletic fields, provide up-to-date playing conditions and maximize their use.

“Improving the infields with synthetic surfaces is a way to address the condition of the field and preserve more natural turfed areas in our parks,” he added.

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