Fair Lawn council voted to accept a $50,000 County Open Space grant Tuesday for the development of a passive pocket park near Fire Company No. 1 on George Street.

The $50,000 from the Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund must be matched by the borough, and will go toward landscaping and building a gazebo, park benches and tables on the lot, assistant borough manager Jim Van Kruiningen said.

The park will be named in memory of Fire Chief Charles Vogel, Fair Lawn's first volunteer fire chief. The area surrounding the gazebo will contain engraved pavers listing the names of all Fair Lawn Volunteer Fire Department members who have served as Chief since 1930.

The borough approved the $320,000 purchase of the George Street lot where the park will be located in December 2010, with a significant amount of funding help from New Jersey Green Acres.

The borough's $50,000 commitment to the passive park's improvements will come out of the its capital improvement fund, said Van Kruinigen, who expects the project to be completed by early fall.

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