Inclusionary Playground Construction Expected in Spring

Construction on the first phase of a new inclusionary playground in Berdan Grove is expected to start in the spring, Fair Lawn officials said.

Fair Lawn was recently awarded a $50,000 matching grant from the Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Trust Fund for the project and the borough council voted to agree to fund the matching portion during their meeting last week.

That money, combined with $30,000 reallocated from the skate park funds and money fundraised by the ADA Advisory Committee and others, will pay the $130,000 for the construction of the first phase of the project. Officials previously decided to build the playground in several steps because of the cost.

The first phase will include play equipment designed to allow children with different physical abilities to play side-by-side, as well as a smooth surface which will allow wheelchairs or strollers to roll on it and access the equipment.

"We want all of our residents, regardless of their ability, to have a place where they can play," Councilwoman Lisa Swain, the liaison to the ADA Advisory Committee, said.

If all goes well, the first phase of the playground could be built by this time next year, Mayor John Cosgrove said.

The ADA Advisory Committee is still accepting donations for the project. Anyone interested can send a check payable to "The Borough of Fair Lawn / ADA Committee" to: 
Fair Lawn ADA Committee c/o Borough of Fair Lawn
Attn: Marianne Pettineo
8-01 Fair Lawn Avenue
Fair Lawn, NJ 07010