HILLSDALE—The borough engineer announced at the Nov. 12 council meeting that renovations on Centennial Field will begin immediately, with work to install natural sod and improved drainage expected to conclude within a month. Field use is anticipated by spring 2025.
The $377,164.10 contract for the project was awarded to Dakota Construction during a special Zoom meeting on Nov. 1. Additionally, the council unanimously approved a $36,500 oversight contract with Colliers Engineering & Design for the project at the Nov. 12 meeting.
Borough Engineer Nick Chelius stated that Dakota Construction will handle the field upgrades, including regrading, replacing topsoil, and installing shallow perforated underdrains to improve drainage on the often-soggy field. Centennial Field was built atop a former landfill, which requires ongoing environmental monitoring.
The upgrades mark the latest chapter in a years-long effort to address drainage issues at Centennial Field. Past efforts have stalled due to concerns over costs and complications related to the landfill cap beneath the field.
Councilman John Ruocco estimated the borough has spent between $800,000 and $900,000 on the field since 2018, including for drainage improvements and engineering studies. This figure includes the contracts with Dakota Construction and Colliers Engineering & Design.
The borough awarded the project to Dakota in early September, but work could not begin until the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) approved the plan. Administrator Mike Ghassali announced that approval was received in early November, clearing the way for construction to start on Nov. 18, weather permitting.
Ghassali said renovations will include stormwater management upgrades, such as an inlet protection system to control erosion.
Ruocco expressed concern about new landfill monitoring requirements included in the NJDEP’s approval. Ghassali assured him that Lois Spagnola, the borough’s licensed site remediation professional (LSRP) from The Environment Group, will conduct field testing during construction and report any contaminants exceeding state standards to the NJDEP.
Ruocco noted that previous environmental testing at the field cost approximately $30,000 per quarter, though the monitoring schedule has since been reduced to twice annually. Future monitoring schedules will depend on test results during construction, Ghassali said.
Councilor Clemente Osso inquired about a long-term maintenance plan for the field. Chelius emphasized that ongoing maintenance will be critical to preserving the upgrades.
Ghassali noted that Dakota Construction will maintain the new sod by mowing it five times before handing it over to the borough in May 2025. By that time, a maintenance plan will be in place, covering fertilization, chemical treatments, and a mowing schedule.
“We’re talking maybe six figures annually,” Ghassali said. “That’s what it takes to maintain a sod field.”