Hamilton Township Director of Public Works David Carothers and Mayor Kelly A. Yaede view the restoration of Bernard Foley Park. (Photograph courtesy of Hamilton Township.)
Restorations to Bernard Foley Park, which honors the lives of fallen servicemen and a Hamilton Fire Chief, were completed in June.
In 1977, the “mini-park” at the corner of Mercer Street and Nottingham Way was dedicated in name to longtime Nottingham Fire Chief Bernard Foley, who served the organization for more than 30 years. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program helped to fund the park’s construction.
Two years later, an existing stone monument with plaques dedicated to Hamiltonians who lost their lives while serving during World War I and World War II, which originally sat in the middle of the modern day Mercer Street, was moved to its permanent home inside the park.
Time took its toll on the park. Along with unsettled brick pavers, the natural growth of shrubbery blocked the veterans’ memorial and and the park’s fountain leaked.
The township decided to restore the park using capital budget funds, which are dedicated to long-term community assets such as roads, sewer infrastructure, park maintenance projects and equipment.
In addition to the restoration, an irrigation system was installed to better maintain the park grounds and energy-efficient LED lights were added to to illuminate the veterans’ memorial plaques.The township also installed new park benches.
More information is online at hamiltonnj.com
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