For Immediate Release s188

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2007 ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO UNVEILS PLANS TO MODERNIZE ESSEX COUNTY BRANCH BROOK PARK WELCOME CENTERBuilding Will Be Transformed into Showcase for Historic Park System and Cherry Blossom GrovesNewark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. presented plans on Monday, July 30th to modernize the Essex County Branch Brook Park Welcome Center. The improvements will transform the building into a year-round showcase where visitors can learn about the history of the Essex County Park System and the famous Cherry Blossom Tree Groves.The modernization of the Branch Brook Welcome Center is part of the County Executive’s ongoing initiative to revitalize Essex County Branch Brook Park and increase the number of Cherry Blossom Trees. The centerpiece of the revamped building will be a "Cherry Blossom Giving Tree" erected in the lobby. The tree will showcase the names of people who donated to a public fund-raising campaign to purchase and plant 2,000 Cherry Blossoms in 2009 and 2010. The lobby will be decorated with murals that depict park scenes and displays will highlight the history of the Essex Park System, the first county park system created in the United States, and the Cherry Blossoms."Tens of thousands of people from around the region visit Essex County Branch Brook Park every spring to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms when they are in bloom. This renewed space will help raise awareness about the Cherry Blossoms and our distinction as the first county park system created in the United States," DiVincenzo said. "The Giving Tree will give us a format to recognize the corporations and residents who help strengthen our Cherry Blossom groves for future generations. This display will draw attention to our Cherry Blossoms all year round," he added.The Welcome Center will receive a dramatic facelift, the first major improvements to the building since it was opened in 1985. A new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, lighting, windows, doors and floors will be installed and the roof will be repaired. In addition, an open air canopy will be constructed over the bocce pit to protect players from inclement weather. Pathways and landscaping around the complex will be upgraded. The improvements are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2007."The Welcome Center and the baseball diamonds have always been a centerpiece of the community," Freeholder Vice President Ralph Caputo said. "We have received so much from the County Executive and are fortunate that so many improvements have been made in our parks," he noted."This is a wonderful project that will rank highly among all the other projects that the County Executive has completed," said Freeholder Patricia Sebold, who is a member of the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board."The improvements being undertaken by County Executive at this complex are having a tremendous impact in the redevelopment and revitalization of the surrounding community," Newark North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos said. Also there showing support for the project was Newark Councilman Carlos Gonzalez.Belleville Councilwoman Maria Strumolo Burke noted that the upgrades also will be beneficial for the Township of Belleville. "All this modernization will help our town," she said.The improvements were designed in-house by the Essex County Division of Engineering and a $768,000 contract was competitively awarded to Shauger Property Services of East Orange. The project is funded through a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board, and will be completed before the 2008 Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring."The Cherry Blossom Trees in Branch Brook Park are a natural treasure that contributes to our quality of life. We are proud to support the County Executive in the creation of this community resource that will raise awareness about the history of our Park System and highlight the importance of our Cherry Blossoms," said Lori Tanner, Chairwoman of the Essex County Recreation and Trust Fund Advisory Board.Planting New Cherry Blossom TreesThe County Executive kicked off the campaign to raise money from corporations and the public to purchase and plant 2,000 new Cherry Blossom trees in Branch Brook Park in April 2007. The goal of the fundraising campaign is to collect $300,000 in public donations to purchase 1,000 Cherry Blossom trees. The Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund will provide a matching $300,000 grant to purchase another 1,000 Cherry Trees when the goal is reached. The trees will be planted in 2009 and 2010, and will increase the number of Cherry Blossom Trees in Branch Brook Park to over 5,000 by 2010.The fundraising campaign will continue until the goal is achieved. Each new Cherry Blossom tree can be purchased for $250 with donations being made to the non-profit Essex County Parks Foundation. Contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible and checks can be made out to "Essex County Parks Foundation" and mailed to the Essex County Parks Foundation, 115 Clifton Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104. Please write "Cherry Blossom Campaign" on the memo line of the check.Donations will be recognized on a "Cherry Blossom Giving Tree," which will be installed in the Branch Brook Park Visitor’s Center near the Mill Street entrance. Donations of $250 will receive a leaf on the Giving Tree and donations of $1,000 or more will be recognized with special plaques on the Giving Tree wall. Donors can have their name inscribed on the Giving Tree or make the contribution in recognition of a loved one, organization or special event.The first phase of planting new Cherry Blossom Trees started in 2006 after an article in The Star-Ledger brought to light the fact that the number of the famed flowering trees had dwindled to less than 1,000. Following the multi-year planting program initiated by DiVincenzo, 400 new trees were planted throughout Branch Brook in 2006, 1,000 were planted in 2007 and the balance will be planted in 2008. These first 2,000 trees were purchased with a $654,575 grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. The Branch Brook Park Alliance hired Rhodeside & Harwell to develop a master plan following the historic landscape design created by Frederick Law Olmsted.For more information about the Cherry Blossom Fundraising Campaign or to obtain an order form, please call the Essex County Parks Foundation at 973-325-1209 or visit the Essex County web site at www.essexcountynj.org.Revitalizing Essex County Branch Brook ParkCurrently underway is a project to remove almost 300 dead and decaying trees, including Cherry Blossoms, from throughout Branch Brook Park. Much of the work is focused near the Mill Street entrance, although unhealthy trees located in other areas of the park will also be removed. Healthy and mature trees will not be touched. In the fall of 2007 and spring of 2008, the landscaping and trees will be replenished, and the landscape plan will be consistent with the historic designs created by Frederick Law Olmsted. The $112,000 project is being funded by the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.On April 3rd, DiVincenzo and the Branch Brook Park Alliance presented plans to construct an authentic replica of the historic Octagon Shelter in the Southern Division of Branch Brook Park. The once popular shelter, designed in 1899 and located on a site called Meeker’s Mound, will be built on the remains of the original structure. The $353,000 project is being funded with a 2005 NJ Green Acres grant on which the County and Alliance worked cooperatively, and matching funds from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board. Completion is scheduled for this fall.The Branch Brook Park Extension adjacent to the Visitor’s Center is undergoing a $1.5 million renovation. The baseball and softball facilities will be upgraded to provide residents with modern and safe recreation facilities, pathways will be upgraded and historic lighting installed. The County and Branch Brook Park Alliance are working together on the project, which is being funded with two $400,000 Green Acres grants received by the Roberto Clemente Little League and the North Ward Center, and an $800,000 matching grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.DiVincenzo’s administration has completed several improvement projects in Branch Brook Park in a comprehensive initiative to revitalize the Essex County Park System. The baseball/softball complex in the Branch Brook Park Middle Division was reopened in April 2005 after an $11 million remediation and modernization project, and the historic restoration of the Park Avenue Bridge was completed in 2005. Entrance enhancements, new fencing and landscaping along Clifton Avenue and a major improvement project along Lake Street have made the park more inviting. The County and several community organizations teamed up to apply for grant funding for additional improvements. The County also worked with the Passaic River Sewage Commissioners River Restoration Program to address flooding near Lake Street and Ballantine Parkway.The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 17 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range and two off-leash dog facilities. Branch Brook Park was created in 1895 and is the first park in Essex County’s system. At 359.72 acres, it is the largest county park in Essex.# # #