by Sue Roy
Fireworks are erupting over the Mercer County Park performing arts stage, but not at the park itself. Instead, the show is taking place in exchanges between the Mercer County Park Commission and a group of residents who live across the street from the park on South Post Road, with some support from members of West Windsor Council. The issue: construction of a permanent stage at the park’s fairgrounds.
Kevin Bannon, executive director of the Mercer County Park Commission, shared details of the performing arts center. “For years, we have had a movable stage at the fairgrounds, which is adjacent to the ice skating arena. The stage location will be in the same spot that we have placed our portable stage for the majority of park events over the last eight years. This area was chosen after feedback from our event directors, architects, engineers, and stage consultants. This location is actually further from South Post Road than where the temporary stage was used for several of our traditional events over the last 10 years. The distance to South Post Road is 1,800 feet (1/3 of a mile).”
As Bannon explained at the meeting, and elaborated upon in a lengthy letter to Teresa Lourenco, one of the South Post Road residents, “we are not building an amphitheater. We are building a permanent stage. The size of the stage is 63 feet wide in the front and 42 feet wide in the back. The stage is contained in a stone and wood siding shell and has a cantilevered roof over it. The shell has a loading dock and handicapped access ramps in the back. On the sides are utility and storage rooms. In the front are areas for sponsor recognition and/or sound equipment. There is a basic lighting and sound package (like the portable stage) that comes with it. In the roof in front is a message board that will be used for announcements, sponsor recognition, upcoming event promotion, etc.”
But as the South Post Road residents view it, the replacement of the temporary stage with a permanent stage — one that the residents estimate is five times bigger than the previous one — represents another expansion in the size and scope of the park, with additional impacts on the neighbors in terms of noise, light pollution, and traffic. “We appreciate that the park has been very successful, and we appreciate a lot of the events that go on there,” says Lourenco, a resident of South Post Road for more than 15 years.
“But we were shocked and surprised by the size of this stage. We assumed a permanent stage would be about the same size,” says Lourenco. “They say it’s all the same, but if everything is all the same then why are they planning to spend $1.5 million” on changes to the stage and festival grounds?
Additionally, says Lourenco, referring back to a similar battle her neighborhood waged against the new solar energy farm created by the neighbor on the other side, Mercer County Community College, “we have learned our lesson in dealing with the county.” Feeling that promises were made but not kept in the county college’s development of the solar energy farm, Lourenco believes that the township needs to be more proactive in its dealings with county parks commission. “The promises made [by the parks commission] to council members — if kept — are a step in the right direction,” says Lourenco, emphasizing the phrase “if kept.”
The neighbors’ concerns were referenced at the January 28 meeting by Council President Bryan Maher. “I have received E-mails from these residents because they are concerned about how this permanent amphitheater is going to affect them. They have already been through so much with the solar farm [at Mercer County Community College], and I want to ensure that their concerns are answered.”
Bannon responded, “I have also received numerous letters from the residents of South Post Road, and all but one are very excited about the project. They have been aware of this project for quite a while; we have kept them informed. This project has been ongoing for five years.”
“Well, then why didn’t the West Windsor Council know anything about it?” asked Maher. “Why is this the first we are hearing about it?”
“I don’t know,” said Bannon. “The project has been discussed numerous times over the last five years at public freeholder meetings and park commission meetings. All of the components of this project have been publicly advertised, bid, and awarded, and this project has been included in our capital budget, which is public information, for five years. Our meeting agendas and minutes are on our website [ www.mercercountyparks.org ].”
“I work for a living,” said Maher. “I don’t have time to research these things on a website. The information should have been provided to the town directly.”
But, according to Bannon, the township has been notified. “I have answered numerous questions regarding the stage via E-mail, letters, and in person at our monthly park commission meetings, and my correspondence on this subject has been shared with at least one town council member, the township attorney, and other members of the township administration. Well over a year ago I met with Pat Ward and Jill Swanson from the township and outlined the details of the project. The township of West Windsor and the residents of South Post Road have been kept informed.”
Maher was still concerned. “You could have done more. The residents of South Post Road have been through so much, between park activities and the solar farm eyesore that is now practically in their backyard. That solar farm has lowered their property values; that is a fact, and it is the county’s fault.”
When Bannon remarked that the solar farm was a Mercer County Community College project that had nothing to do with the park, Maher shot back, “You are all part of the county. It doesn’t matter what agency you belong to.”
Noting that he was at the council meeting as a courtesy, Bannon nonetheless attempted to provide additional answers to the questions raised by some South Post Road residents.
“We will continue to host the same types of shows we have been offering at the park: symphony orchestras, theater in the park, children’s shows, etc. The vast majority of our shows end at or before 10 p.m. We have two evenings in the year where we play music or have noise after 10 p.m. — the Saturday evening of the Freedom Fest and Saturday evening of the Italian Fest. Both are completed by 11 p.m.”
“We aren’t planning on a significant increase in programming. Our summer concert series will be moved from the marina area to the festival grounds, which is approximately four to six evenings over the course of the summer. We have no interest in becoming a major rock concert destination and have already turned down several events every year that wish to play loud music into the night.
“We do monitor the noise output at every event, and it is always well below township ordinance decibel levels. We have never received a single complaint in my 10 years as executive director of the Park Commission.”
“I believe we have gone out of our way to be accommodating to the South Post Road residents,” Bannon continued. “For example, when we were contacted by a few residents about speeders going down the road and into the park for events, we decided to permanently close the two park entrances at the end of the road. All traffic has to enter the main park entrance. By doing this, we have significantly reduced traffic on South Post Road.”
In addition, Bannon said that, in response to residents’ concerns about parking in front of their homes during large events, especially fireworks shows, the park commission posted a ranger on South Post Road at the park entrance to eliminate all traffic and parking on the road during events. This practice will be continued at all events in 2014, including the week of the Special Olympics.
At the conclusion of his presentation, Bannon agreed to communicate directly with the council whenever possible regarding capital projects. “I do feel that we have been very good neighbors with our South Post Road residents and that the stage is a wonderful family-oriented addition to our fabulous park,” said Bannon. “It will undoubtedly be a great source of pride to not only West Windsor’s residents, but certainly all of Mercer County and perhaps beyond.”
The performing arts stage is part of a larger capital project that encompasses many significant upgrades to the fairgrounds section of the park. Highlights of the project include:
— The establishment of a motor vehicle-free, pedestrian plaza in front of the skating rink, which will contain grass areas, 10 mature trees, a native plant rain garden, a circular paved area with benches and more than 80 plantings and shrubs, and three flag poles and two walkways through the plaza; one to the rink entrance and the other to the festival grounds entrance.
— Significant exterior improvements to the skating rink building, as well as adjustable security lighting in the festival grounds and at the entrances. The existing lights will be relocated to the parking lot behind the rink and replaced with new decorative low level streetlights.
— The planting of more than 40 trees were planted around the exterior of the festival grounds (completed in 2013).
— Handicapped access to all areas and a pedestrian drop-off and crosswalk on the main road.
The entire project is expected to be completed in time for the Special Olympics in June.
Lourenco, who was in the audience while Bannon made his presentation but did not comment at the time, said later that she and her neighbors remain wary. She disputed Bannon’s contention that no noise complaints had been filed against the park, and said that she and her neighbors in fact had lodged complaints with the West Windsor police.
She also disputed Bannon’s contention that the park commission had been working with the neighbors and that only one — Lourenco — was not supportive of the new stage. She produced a grid identifying all the houses on the street and registering the residents’ concerns about the project with respect to 1.) light shields for the stadium lights in the stage area and the other areas in the park; 2.) berms and trees to mitigate stage sound and lights; and 3.) control of “heavy and speeding traffic on our roadway — especially during events and on weekends.”
Of the 17 households on the street, 12 replied to Lourenco and all 12 voiced concern over all three issues.
While the park commission was looking forward to the Special Olympics in June as a chance to celebrate the new stage, Lourenco saw it as another potentially disruptive event. “It would be great if a meeting with the residents, the park commission, and council could be held PRIOR to the Special Olympics,” she wrote in an E-mail. “I understand the event itself will bring heavy traffic to our area over seven days. But please note that events usually require significant pre and post-event set up, which really does prolong the effects to our residential neighborhood.
