NETCONG BOROUGH, NJ (Morris County) – A park in Netcong Borough is getting a new playground.
Todd Morton, council liaison for the Netcong Recreation Commission, told RNJ that the recreation commission spearheaded the idea to replace the DiRenzo Park Playground, located at the corner of Water Street and Dell Avenue, which was built back in 1994.
Recreation President Kim Albensi brought the idea of replacing the playground to something more modern to her Recreation commission back in 2022 when she became president and it is finally coming to fruition now, Morton said.
“The playground equipment costs $148,168 and installation of the equipment and new pour-in-place rubber flooring will cost $145,628,” Morton said.
The project is being funded in part by a $76,000 grant from a 2023 Local Recreation Improvement Grant administered by the Department of Community Affairs. Remaining funds are being provided by the Borough Capital Budget and funding raising efforts by the Netcong Recreation Commission, Morton said.
The Recreation Commission held its first end of summer food truck festival back in September of 2022 which kicked off the fundraising for the new playground. That year they partnered with an event promoter to help run the event, Morton said.
In 2023 the Recreation Commission took on the event on their own and raised a significant amount of money that was put directly towards the playground, Morton said.
The new playground will be slightly bigger. It will have two play structures and dedicated features for smaller children which did not exist with the previous playground, Morton said.
The playground is expected to be open at end of April or beginning of May 2024, Morton said.
“DPW has been instrumental in preparing the site. They were extremely helpful in the demolition and removal of the old playground which helped to lower the cost of the project,” Morton told RNJ. “The previous playground used wood much as a cushion under the equipment. The new playground will be using a pour-in-place rubber floor. Kim Albensi and the rest of the Netcong Recreation Commission brought this idea to light which was later embraced by the Netcong Borough Council.”
