Millburn's Recreation Commission will discuss high school field upgrades, bocce courts and a portable cricket pitch at its Wednesday, Oct. 14 meeting.

The meeting agenda posted by the township lists all three items under old business. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Gero Park Community Center, with public comments limited to three minutes per person.

Recreation Director Chris Myers is set to present all five old business items, which also include the Taylor Park playground renovation and Taylor Park entrance site improvements.

High school field project

The high school turf conversion has been in motion since the Millburn Board of Education awarded a $5,666,283 contract to Thomas & Sons Builders LLC in July, as first reported by TAPinto. The contract covers a synthetic turf conversion of the natural grass field at Millburn High School, plus $1,222,183 for athletic field lighting.

Township Committee member Ben Stoller, who serves as liaison to the Recreation Commission, called the July 23 Board of Education vote a culmination of community collaboration.

At the commission's May meeting, Myers said the project was expected to start in late August with completion in February 2027. The work includes lighting at Miller Field. No public update on whether construction began on schedule has appeared in available township records.

The Township and Board of Education signed a shared services agreement for the construction, maintenance and use of the new fields, according to the commission's February meeting minutes. EI Associates was authorized to provide architectural and engineering services for $192,500.

A resident group called Millburn for Climate Action asked in February that approvals be paused until an independent environmental and public health review could be conducted. The Oct. 14 agenda does not indicate whether that request was addressed.

Cricket and bocce

The portable cricket pitch and bocce court options are both listed as old business, meaning they have come before the commission previously. Details are thin. No meeting minutes detailing either proposal are currently posted on the township website.

Millburn Recreation launched a cricket clinic in April for students in grades 2–8, held at the Bauer Community Center and Glenwood Elementary School. The portable pitch discussion appears to build on that programming.

No details on the bocce court proposal, including location, cost or number of courts, appear in available records.

Taylor Park

The Taylor Park inclusive playground, funded by a $750,000 NJ Green Acres grant and $250,000 in township capital funds, will hold its ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:45 p.m. Oct. 14, according to the township's social media accounts. The township also awarded a $334,700 contract to Cipriano Enterprises for entrance site improvements at the park.

As we reported Oct. 7, the playground features two play areas for different age groups connected by an accessible pathway.

New business and what's next

The agenda also includes a Bauer Game Room update from Myers and Commission Chair Nick Romano, plus program reports from staff members Zimmerman and Iacono.

The next Recreation Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Gero Park Community Center.