Frank Sinatra Park Scheduled to be Renovated by December

The city took a large step on Wednesday night toward completing the construction of the soccer field at Frank Sinatra Park, which has been closed since the pier collapsed in 2009. The city council unanimously approved a $7.7 million contract with EIC Associates Inc. to reconstruct the Castle Point and Sinatra Park Walkway.

The project is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 21, 2012.

The cost of the project—$7,751,876 to be exact—will be paid for by a $12 million bond previously approved by the city council. 

The field will be in the same position as it is currently, said City Engineer Joe Pomante. Some earlier plans included the idea to move the field inland and off the pier, but that won’t happen, the engineer said. 

While all council members were in support of this contract and would like to see the field fixed as soon as possible, Fourth Ward Councilman, and mayoral critic, Tim Occhipinti said “this administration has dropped the ball on this field.”

Community Development Director Brandy Forbes said that part of the delay was caused by the wait for approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

“We started working to make sure this was engineered properly,” Forbes said about the process, “to make sure (a collapse) wouldn’t happen again.” 

Occhipinti also read from a memo from Mayor Dawn Zimmer from a little more than a year ago about problems at Pier A Park. The memo, written on Jan. 18, 2011, stated that Pier A Park needed immediate attention and that the cost of the project could be as much as $3 million. No plans about Pier A Park have been provided to the council yet. 

It looks like this was the last vote about Frank Sinatra Park for awhile. According to Pomante, the new structure will last at least 50 years. The field itself, Pomante added, will have to be returfed in about 12 or 13 years.