Final Funding Approval For Borough Improvements Awarded In Madison

MADISON, NJ — During last week's council meeting, the final push for approval was made, authorizing the adoption of a series of ordinances to fund capital projects to be completed this upcoming year.

Among the newly funded projects are the Memorial Park Footbridge, the Cook Avenue parking lot renovation, and the construction of new pickleball and basketball courts at the Madison Recreation Complex.

The ordinances were all approved unanimously by the council after first being introduced at the Jan. 9 borough council meeting.

As part of the Cook Avenue lot reconstruction, the borough approved the appropriation of $650,000 from the General Capital Improvement Fund and an additional $150,000 from the Electric Capital Improvement Fund.

The Cook Avenue parking lot renovation was announced a few years ago and was initially supposed to be completed in 2021, but construction was delayed due to logistical issues. The project concept summary includes reorganizing the parking lot layout and incorporating sidewalks for pedestrian safety.

According to Mayor Bob Conley, the new parking lot will also increase the number of handicapped parking spaces available and widen the lane space to allow two cars to fit in one lane.

The second project which was given its final green light of funding approval was the highly anticipated basketball and pickleball court coming to the Madison Recreation Complex.

The council has authorized the use of $240,000 from the Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund for the Madison Recreation Complex Basketball/Pickleball court construction project.

The future court would be a small multi-purpose court capable of hosting both pickleball and basketball games. The Dodge courts are frequently unavailable during the summer, and the Madison High School gym is overcrowded, according to the council, which first considered building new courts in 2021.

Some residents have expressed concern about the damage to the tree canopy around the Madison Recreation Complex; however, council member Robert Landrigan stated that the borough is doing everything possible to minimize tree loss for important tree species.