If the township wants to make improvements to Grovers Mill Pond, it may cost West Windsor $1.2 million more than originally planned.##M:[more]##
The township, working in concert with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, had planned to dredge the shallow pond in an effort to beautify the area and eliminate the algae, weeds, and odors that plague the pond during the summer. The project was to be funded with some $1 million from the Army Corps and $500,”000 from a federal grant to the township.
Earlier this year, the Army Corps submitted plans for the project to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which must issue a permit to allow the dredging. The DEP decided to expand the scope of the project, a decision that could more than triple the original $1.5 million price tag.
In a report to council during a budget planning meeting on November 30, township engineer James Parvesse said that the DEP decided that the Army Corps’ current plan would not make the pond “a true aquatic environment.” The Army Corps drew up new plans based on the DEP’s requirements. The new estimated price tag: $4.6 million.
According to Parvesse, the Army Corps is seeking authorization to spend $2.9 million for the project. That would leave the township to come up with $1.2 million in addition to the $500,”000 it has already set aside.
Council President Charles Morgan said that, based on the new information, the council may want to take another look at the project. “Given the size of the bill, we owe it to ourselves to have another conversation on this. We should look at the impacts of dredging and not dredging the pond.”
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, in an interview after the meeting, said if the council decides to move ahead with the project, the township could recoup some of the funds through the sale of a liquor license.
He also pointed out that the cost numbers cited by Parvesse are based on informal discussions between the township, Army Corps, and the state. “If this is something we need to take as a next step, I will negotiate with the Army Corps and the DEP to bring this to a reasonable conclusion.”
The mayor says the project will provide a significant improvement to one of the township’s most important historical sites, improve the township’s identity, and enhance property values. Grovers Mill was the site of the mythical Martian landing in the famous Orson Welles “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast in 1938.
“We want to make sure to clean up the whole area and turn it into a site that can be a major recreational facility for the township,” says Hsueh. “Worldwide people recognize the ‘War of the Worlds’ story and know about Grovers Mill, and come to visit the area. But when we take them to the site they are surprised to see the area is not that attractive.”
The Grovers Mill Pond was formed during the 18th century. From that time until 1987, the 37-acre pond was privately owned by a number of individuals and families. Most recently, the Dey family was the owner. In 1987, Lawrence and Lolly Dey passed the ownership of the pond to West Windsor Township with the help of a state Green Acres grant.
