The Weehawken Township Council has adopted an ordinance issuing bonds for $2.6 million for various municipal projects, including recreation facility upgrades and new police equipment.
The council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance at its Feb. 9 meeting. Approximately $1.6 million would go toward recreation improvements among other park upgrades, according to Mayor Richard Turner.
Of the nearly $1.6 million, approximately $800,000 would be for the resurfacing of Weehawken Stadium and another approximately $600,000 would be for the installation of the “bubble” over the pool. The remaining approximately $200,000 would go toward the various park upgrades.
“We’re putting the bubble over it for fall, winter and early spring,” Turner previously said of the improvements to the municipal pool complex.
The “bubble” may not be ready this year until after the weather renders it unnecessary, but may likely be ready by next winter.
In regards to the resurfacing at Weehawken Stadium, “It’s artificial turf,” Turner said at the Feb. 9 meeting. “We got almost 13 years out of it, they’re only supposed to last for about nine. But we stretched it and now we’re putting in a new surface.”
Turner said construction would start as soon as the weather allows.
“We have to try and get it done before the middle of March when baseball season starts,” Turner said. “If not, we’ll make arrangements with the neighboring town, as we let them come to our stadium when they’re doing their repairs and resurfacing.”
Other various improvements
According to Turner, the rest of the bond “is for various improvements throughout the township.”
Under the bond ordinance, approximately $980,000 would go toward communications upgrades to the Weehawken Police Department.
“We are upgrading our communications within the police department,” Turner said. “Unfortunately, that’s very expensive, but it must be done.”
Another $20,000 is included in the bond that will support the purchase of new furniture for the police.
“The other part is for furniture for the police annex,” Turner said. “The total bond will be $2.6 million.”
At the same meeting, the council also cancelled an ordinance banning right turns on red at 51st Street and Boulevard East. The policy is already in effect but the council thought it had to renew it, which is not the case.
“We adopted it right during the onset of the pandemic, then everything fell apart,” Turner said. “We don’t have to adopt it yet. We thought we had to renew it but we don’t have to renew it. The previous ordinance we adopted years ago will be in effect.”
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