Murphy's Crew Refurbishes Edgemont Field House

Numerous Montclair organizations have a Boy Scout to thank for spiffing up the field house at Edgemont Park. 

For his Eagle Scout Project, the highest achievement in scouting, Justin Murphy, 17, of Troop 13, chose to work on the interior of the field house.

Murphy said his goal for his Eagle Scout project was to have a “lasting affect” on the community.

Last weekend, he led a crew of volunteers in painting the interior of the building, which serves as a regular meeting spot for a number of groups, as well as a polling place for the township and the site of Memorial Day and Fourth of July observances.

He’ll be back this weekend to finish up painting and install cabinets which will be used to store furniture securely.

Murphy estimates 120 volunteer hours have been logged in all. 

Tom Nussbaum, a Montclair resident and member of the Friends of Edgemont Park, was one of the many volunteers who helped paint.

“Justin has done an amazing job,” Nussbaum told the Montclair mayor and council Tuesday.

Nussbaum attended the township council meeting to ask for capital money to replace the deteriorating roof at the field house. He said a new roof is sorely needed and would help preserve the improvements made by the scout.

Murphy is a senior at Montclair High School where he rows for the Mounties.

He will join the crew team at the University of California, Berkeley in the fall and is interested in studying politics.