Mayor Albio Sires and the West New York Board of Commissioners celebrated the official groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday.
"This is the last one before all the park renovations are complete," said Sires. "We have also completed several new parks in town and by the waterfront."
The renovations to McEldowney Park cost about $888,000, made possible by state grant secured by the municipality.
Throughout Sires' administration, the refurbishment of all of the town's recreational facilities has been a top priority, and McEldowney Park is the last one to undergo renewal.
"This is another park where children can come and play outdoors, and in brand new facilities," said Sires. "Over the last 12 years we have renovated every single park in town."
The others were Miller Park, Miller Stadium, 52nd Street Playground, Memorial Field, Donnelly Park, and the Verrazano Dog Run.
In addition, new parks have been built including Filmore Park, St. Mary's Park, Centennial Field, which celebrated its grand opening three weeks ago; Weigand Park, and Washington Park.
There was also the construction of the 55th Street Basketball Courts.
Renovations
McEldowney Park is at the end of a pathway from Boulevard East and 61st Street overlooking the Hudson River. It will serve as a multipurpose area that will include a new dog run, a playground for the neighborhood kids, and refurbished basketball and tennis courts.
The project was designed by RSC Architects, who have done many of the renovations to the other neighboring parks.
"There is going to be new fencing, new courts, the trees have been trimmed back, there will be grass surfacing, rubberized surfaces for the playground, and it will include an outdoor amphitheatre, so we can have concerts during the summer," said Sires.
Ampitheater
The park will home to a new Bandshell Amphitheatre, which will be utilized for outdoor community concerts and entertainment, and will be available to the schools as well.
Among the anticipated work is the refurbishment of two tennis courts, a new tennis/handball practice wall, resurfacing the existing basketball courts, new sod in the Little League Field, new safety surfacing of the existing playground, all new fencing, a new dog run, and new sports lighting.
"I don't know went the park was last [updated], but the tennis courts were in very poor condition," John Capazzi of RSC Architects. "We also took on of the decrepit fields and turned it into a dog run, and there will be new safety surfaces for the playground [which is located in the Boulevard East level]."
There will also be new asphalt paving in the walkways and driveways, including concrete brick accents, new landscaping, the refurbishing of the existing entrance canopy on Boulevard East, and the amphitheatre. The park itself runs about 800 feet long along the side of the Palisades.
The project is anticipated to be completed by this coming February, and according Capazzi is already ahead of schedule since work already started on Sept. 7.
"It's a six month project, but we're doing more faster," said Capaziz. "Certain [phases] have been completed such as demolition, and the foundation for the new bandshell has already been completed."
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