Lower Township Celebrates Arbor Day with Tree Planting and Playground Dedication

VILLAS – Gardening By the Sea held their 35th Arbor Day Ceremony with the help of children of the David Douglass Memorial School April 29 at 10 a.m.
A purple plum tree was planted in memory of club members Maureen Van Orden, club member spouse David Rutherford and club member son-in-law Jason Kupulakis. Despite the chilly spring weather, the children took turns helping public works employee Keith Paleck plant the tree at the perimeter of the township’s newly renovated playground.
After the ceremony and the tree was secure in its new home, the children enjoyed the renovated playground.
“This was a job well done by our grants coordinator Colleen Crippen and recreation department,” said Township Manager Jim Ridgway.
Throughout the winter there was a lot of activity at the Lower Township Department of Parks and Recreation as construction was underway to make the township’s Paul R. Will Recreation Complex more accessible and bring the facility compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Renovations to the playground, curb cuts, enlarged doorways and construction of an additional ADA accessible restroom is being done with grant funding in the amount of $ $288,495 from Small Cities Public Facilities Funds which is part of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
“The type of funding that this Small Cities grant provides is exactly what is needed to complete project that will help to improve the lives of our residents,” said Crippen. “This funding will go a long way to benefit the community at large.”
Additional to the Small Cities grant, the township was awarded $36,260 from the Cape May County Open Space Program in the amount of $36,260 which was used to install ADA accessible playground equipment.
“Lower Township thanks the freeholders for recognizing the need for continued public support for this program,’’ added Crippen. “These projects could not be done without county support.”