Soccer Teams Will Use Memorial Park, Rented Lights

The Maplewood Township Committee approved a resolution on Tuesday to rent temporary lighting for the south field at Maplewood's Memorial Park, at a cost not to exceed $28,000. The lights would enable local sports teams such as Cougar Soccer to hold night practices.

The resolution passed 4-1, with Committeeman Marlon Brownlee dissenting. Brownlee cited concerns about the large range of the cost estimate, which was between $16,000 - 28,000. "It's not an insignificant amount of money," he said.

Mayor Vic DeLuca also expressed concern about the range -- "It's kind of like a blank check," he said -- but he noted, "We do not have a lit field in this town." He asked Township Administrator Joseph Manning to request a more specific estimate from the Recreation Department.

Space is tight this season because DeHart Field is unusable until at least the end of the year.

"We find ourselves in a real space crunch here," said Committeeman Jerry Ryan, who said he had been collaborating with the South Orange Board of Trustees and the South Orange - Maplewood School District to accommodate practices.

There is no word yet on additional space made available.