REVITALIZING THE ESSEX COUNTY PARKS SYSTEM 
Revitalizing the Essex County Parks System and updating parks facilities has been an ongoing initiative of Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. Making sure playground, athletic fields and parks buildings are modernized enhances the public’s quality of life, promotes economic development and increases property values.
“When I was growing up, Branch Brook Park was my backyard. It was where my friends and I played, my family picnicked and our favorite vacation destination. I want to make sure families today have the same enjoyable experiences in our parks that I had,” DiVincenzo said. “Our other goal has been to provide first-class facilities that encourage people to stay in or come to Essex County. This provides our residents with places to play, socialize and relax, and promotes tourism and economic development,” he added.
A current initiative calls for replacing current community center buildings within the Parks System with modern, expanded facilities. After the Robert O’Toole Community Center opened in Essex County Cedar Grove Park in 2017, the County Executive realized that the buildings needed to be replaced with newer, larger ones to accommodate the growing demands from the community. New buildings were opened in Essex County Watsessing Park in Bloomfield and Essex County Weequahic Park in Newark. A new community center is being built in Essex County West Side Park in Newark and planning is underway for new buildings in Essex County Glenfield Park in Montclair and Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark. These projects have been funded with grants from the State of New Jersey.
Since 2003, more than $400 million has been invested to restore historic features, renovate senior buildings, update athletic facilities and preserve the natural beauty of the Essex County Parks System, the first county park system created in the United States. The additional burden on the County’s budget to finance these improvements has been avoided by relying on grants from the New Jersey Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and donations from corporations, philanthropic groups and individuals. The County currently works with over 50 non-profit conservancy group partners to raise money and provide programming for its open spaces.
When he first took office in 2003, DiVincenzo’s first focus was on modernizing playgrounds with rubberized safety surfaces and new apparatus throughout the Parks System. Improvements have been made to every park in the county’s system, and the system has been expanded to include 23 parks with the addition of the 11-acre Essex County Kip’s Castle Park in Montclair and Verona in 2007, the 10-acre Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in 2009, the 2.7-acre Essex County Veterans Memorial Park in the Essex County Government Complex in Newark in 2009, the 12.3-acre Essex County Riverfront Park in 2012 and the 90-acre Cedar Grove Park in 2016.
The Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex has become a recreation destination. It includes Turtle Back Zoo, Codey Ice Arena, Treetop Adventure, miniGOLF Safari, McLoone’s Boathouse Restaurant, Clipper Picnic Pavilion, Regatta Playground, a 1.7-mile walkway around the waterfront and paddle boating on the Orange Reservoir. The centerpiece of the complex is Turtle Back Zoo, which has experienced unprecedented growth. New, natural habitat-themed exhibits have been developed almost every year, with the newest additions highlighting flamingos, giraffe, lions, hyenas, South African Penguins and sea lions, to name a few. New attendance records have been established in each of the last 10 years, with the number of visitors reaching an all-time high of 907,522 in 2017. The zoo’s commitment to conservation can be seen with its partnership with Sea Turtle Recovery to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured turtles before returning them to their wild habitats. Turtle Back is accredited by American Humane, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and Zoological Association of America, which is evidence of its commitment to provide the highest quality animal care.
DiVincenzo preserved the natural attraction of the Cherry Blossom Trees in Branch Brook Park. When he discovered the number of cherry trees had dwindled to less than 900, he embarked on an ambitious campaign to plant 5,000 new trees. As a result, Branch Brook’s display is now larger than the national display in Washington, DC, and has one of the most diverse collection of cherry blossom species in the world.
DiVincenzo also oversaw the creation of four dog parks in Watsessing Park in Bloomfield/East Orange, Brookdale Park in Bloomfield/Montclair, South Mountain Reservation in Maplewood/Millburn and Hilltop Reservation in North Caldwell.
