Verona Workshop Discusses Phase II of Hilltop Park

Plans for a new baseball field, multi-purpose field, walking trails and an amphitheater as part of Phase II of the Hilltop Park development plan began to take shape following a special Verona Township Council Tuesday night.

Township Engineer Jim Helb said the township also plans to make improvements to two existing fields – Veterans Field and Centenniel Field – adding a new press box and resodding the fields.

The project is in the preliminary discussion stages and the council said it plans to look for funding that does not involve tax dollars. The long-term operation costs would not be substantial since field maintenance requires few full time employees, he added.

“One of the town's major achievements was Centennial Field, built in 2007 with K. Hovnanian,” said Helb. “The field has been a very well-utilized field – lighted and secured - and supports not only recreation programs, but many Verona High School activities as well.”

Phase II would include two new parking lots with 90 spaces while Phase III would add another 90 to 110 spots. In total, there would be between 366 and 386 parking spots for the facilities, including already existing parking spaces.

The project would take approximately 18 months to complete, which would take one full construction season and part of another, said Helb.

The amphitheater and parking lots could take 12 months and improvements to Veterans Field could take another nine months.

“It is conceivable that shovels could be in the ground by late March or early April,” said Township Manager Joe Martin. “If that's the case the project could be finished by fall 2014.”