After announcing improvements to the playing fields at DeHart Park last year — with a new drainage system and all-grass field — the Maplewood Township Committee is now seeking input on proposed improvements to other areas of the park.
At a special community meeting on Feb. 4, Mayor Vic De Luca recapped the Phase 1 improvements to the field area. “The softball field will be eliminated, the walking path will be repaved…and the park drainage will be improved without having any impact on Newark Way or any other residential streets.”
The multi-year project is set to begin with field construction in 2026 (Phase 1), followed by additional renovations in 2027, aiming to create a more inclusive and accessible park after voters rejected a previous proposal for artificial turf.
Costs of the first phase, which is the rehabilitation of the athletic field, have been refined. Paul Kittner, Maplewood Township’s engineer and the Director of Public Works, stated “as for the athletic field, we are looking at a construction cost of anywhere between $2.75-3 million, that’s our estimate.” The township is planning to submit an application to the New Jersey’s Green Acres Program to help pay for a majority of the cost.
“As for Phase 1, we expect construction to start early June, with final grading, sand and full irrigation to be completed by the end of September,” said Kittner. He said Phase 1 is expected to be completed by November 15, and grass will be able to grow through late September into Spring 2027 to be eventually used for programming.
With Phase 1’s main focus on the field, Phase 2 now emphasizes other recreational facilities the park has to offer, including improvements for the playground zone. Kirk Danielson, the landscape architect behind the initial redesign, reported, “We are going to make it a little bigger, we are going to separate it into two areas: an [ages] 2-5 unit area, and an [ages] 5-12 unit area.”
Along with more shade, more wide-ranging equipment — including musical equipment, additional slides, and a climbing/rope structure — are proposed.
“In my experience, kids love to climb, so I try to incorporate a lot of those elements into the parks and playgrounds I design,” said Danielson.
The playground idea/remodel is blue and green with tree elements on top of posts to emphasize the earthy character of the park. “We tried to come up with some kind of theme. We are in Essex County, so there are a lot of trees and it’s very woodsy, so we tried to maintain that,” said Danielson. He said gazebos, bike racks, new picnic tables, and more benches and trashcans would also be added to this section.
Danielson further reported that the playground would have porous rubberized safety surfacing that drains straight through it, collects that water, and pipes it into a new rain garden. Water will also be collected from the basketball court.
“Whatever water we can collect in the whole area, we are going to focus it into the rain garden area,” said Danielson. The rain garden would be educational for discussions about pollination, local biodiversity (like butterflies and birds), and plants. He added, “We have not finalized the design yet, it’s just a concept.”
There is also a plan to create an improved entry to the DeHart Park, which currently does not have an “official” main arrival area, with a welcoming sign wall, flag poles, and landscaped-planted area. The Newark Way entrance would have an arboretum design which would include two seating areas with tables intended to either unwind or socialize. It would be heavily planted, and the concrete sidewalk would be redone with new lighting.
“We can do some more thinking about Phase 2, but on a conceptual level, this is pretty much what we are thinking about: improving the playground, shade structure, doing more planting, a rain garden, benches,” said Mayor De Luca. He added this caveat: “This is the conceptual plan we are going to send to Trenton. If we get funding, that’s great, if we do not get funding, we will use town money and we will have some more conversations about how we will fine tune Phase 2.”
As for the workout equipment, Danielson mentions that they would “maintain that area, but we may shift some of the equipment around and reinstall it to give it a better feel and better circulation within that space.”
The pathway, given the highest rating for “the main reason for visiting DeHart Park (50%)” is also going to be enhanced. The plan is to break it up into 3rds with a starting line and several mile-markers.
Screenshot of a slide reporting the results of a poll; 400 residents responded.
Melissa Mancuso, Maplewood director of community services, stated, “We’re trying to make space for everyone in town, not just kids and toddlers, but everybody here at the park.”
From Maplewood Township:
PROJECT SCOPE: The Township of Maplewood proposes to create the following new facilities at DeHart Park: a landscaped monument area, a rain garden, gazebos, benches, a picnic area, and a senior resting area; and/or to renovate the following facilities: pedestrian walkways, playgrounds, and the exercise area; and/or to remove the following facilities: shuffle board courts. A concept plan showing the proposed changes, a preliminary cost estimate, and an environmental impact assessment for the project can be found at www.maplewoodnj.gov/dehart-rehabilitation.
PUBLIC HEARING INFORMATION: The public is encouraged to attend a public hearing to learn more about the proposal and to ask questions or provide comments on the proposed plan on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM, at Town Hall (574 Valley Street). The meeting will be held in-person as part of the regularly scheduled Township Committee meeting. Written comments on the proposed application may be directed to Paul J. Kittner, Township Engineer and Director of Public Works, [email protected]v, and at 359 Boyden Avenue, Maplewood, New Jersey 07040.
Celia Mann is an 11th grade student at Columbia High School who is working as a paid student freelancer with Village Green through a grant from the NJ Civic Information Consortium.
