Berkeley To Install Turf Field At Veterans Park With State Help

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - Berkeley should have a new all-purpose turf field installed at Veterans Park in Bayville by the fall, thanks to the state Green Acres program, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said.

The field will be installed at the Sam Pepe Memorial Stadium and can be used for football, soccer and lacrosse, Amato said.

''This site was chosen because it has lights and stadium seating," the mayor said. "I'm excited for our children. This will move our programs to the next level and provide a state of the art maintenance free field. Because of its close proximity to Central Regional, they will also be able to utilize it as well."

The Green Acres will kick in $750,000 of the $800,00 tab for the field. The township's match for the cost is $50,000.

The township received preliminary approval for the project last summer and final approval at the end of the year, the mayor said.

The field will be purchased from FieldTurf through the Keystone Purchasing Network.

"This is something that was really needed," Amato said. "Besides being maintenance free, it could potentially be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It won't need any fertilizer water or cutting of the grass or lining.

The field will be similar to the turf field at Central Regional high school, he said.

"We are looking forward to breaking ground very soon with the hopes to get it ready for the 2018 fall sports season," the mayor said. "We are excited to provide this great opportunity for our children."

Photo: Patricia A. Miller