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Bernards Parks and Recreation, Explained: The $1.84 Million Pleasant Valley Request, New Turf and Courts, the Cricket Pitch and 2026 Fees
Where the federal request for a Pleasant Valley Park culvert and paths stands, what the township spent on parks in 2026, the cricket pitch, 2026 pool, golf and park fees, and the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead.
The short version
- $1,840,125 requested for Pleasant Valley Park. The township applied in March 2026 for federal money for a culvert where the park road crosses a stream, and new paths. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. says it is in a House appropriations bill; it has not been enacted.
- About $1.2 million in park contracts in 2026 for Mountain Park’s turf, Pleasant Valley Park’s courts and a cricket pitch, among others.
- Pool and golf fees for 2026 were set in late 2025.
The Pleasant Valley Park culvert and paths
The application. Res. #2026-0207 (March 24, 2026) authorized an FY2027 Community Project Funding application to Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) for the “Pleasant Valley Park Culvert and Paths Project.” The total cost estimate is $1,840,125.00 and “the Township requests the full amount.” Adopted 4-0 on the consent agenda (Asay, Hodges, Tompkins, Duarte McCarthy; McNally absent).
What it would build, per the township’s Oct. 14, 2026 news item: “Currently, hundreds of vehicles per day drive through the stream that intersects the park road, negatively impacting the water quality. The construction of a culvert will reduce water pollution, provide a safe crossing to the rear of the park, and allow the construction of new paths throughout the park.” It adds that the project expands walking and exercise opportunities, especially for veterans at Valley Brook Village, the HUD-VA supportive housing on the Lyons VA campus next to the park. The Congressman’s release adds his statement that “frequent roadway flooding can make the park inaccessible.”
Where it stands. The two Oct. 14 publications, side by side:
| Source | Wording |
|---|---|
| Township news item (headline) | “Congressman Kean Visits Bernards Township to Highlight $1.84 Million for Pleasant Valley Park!” |
| Rep. Kean’s release | He visited “to highlight the $1.84 million he secured in a House Appropriations bill for the Pleasant Valley Park culvert and paths” |
| Mayor Ana Duarte McCarthy, quoted in the release | ”We are pleased and appreciative of the Congressman’s advocacy as the project advances for consideration for FY2027 funding.” |
A House appropriations bill must pass both chambers and be signed before money is available. The record LocalWhy has reviewed shows no enacted FY2027 appropriation, construction schedule or contract for the culvert.
Park contracts in 2026
| Date | Work | Contractor and amount | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 10 | Application to NJ DCA for a Local Recreation Improvement Grant to improve park facilities, pathways and ADA access (Res. #2026-0162) | About $100,000 sought | 5-0 |
| March 10 | Replace synthetic turf on two Mountain Park fields (Res. #2026-0201) | FieldTurf USA, up to $960,826.00 ($750,000 from Ord. #2594, $210,826 from Ord. #2579) | 4-0 (Tompkins absent) |
| March 24 | Cricket pitch pad on existing Pleasant Valley Park fields (Res. #2026-0217) | Keystone Sports Construction, up to $59,377.54 | 4-0 (McNally absent) |
| April 28 | Cricket pitch change order: the Director of Parks & Recreation “determined that an increase in the size of the pitch was necessary” (Res. #2026-0258) | +$18,242.11, to $77,619.65 | 5-0 |
| June 23 | Playground equipment (Res. #2026-0309) | Ben Shaffer Recreation, up to $25,137.73 | 4-0 (McNally absent) |
| June 23 | Resurface six pickleball and six tennis courts at Pleasant Valley Park (Res. #2026-0310) | Keystone Sports Construction, up to $166,791.69 | 4-0 (McNally absent) |
The cricket pitch change order’s resolution charges Capital Ordinance #2556 (account C-04-55-556-I03); the CFO’s certification printed with it names “Capital Ordinance #2470” while giving the same #556 account number.
The 2026 capital ordinance #2597 (May 12, 2026, 5-0) includes $254,000 for parks and recreation facility improvements (playgrounds, tennis courts, parks and field infrastructure, equipment and lighting) and $85,000 for Pleasant Valley Pool (painting, soft surfacing and equipment).
What the Mayor’s October newsletter lists as done this summer: the training pool at Pleasant Valley Pool replastered; pickleball and tennis courts at Pleasant Valley Park paved and repainted; Mountain Park’s artificial turf replaced; Pleasant Valley Park pathways paved “including improved accessibility”; swings and playground at Rebel Hill Park. The cricket pitch “is under construction and expected to officially open in Spring 2027,” and the Dunham Park roller rink is next, “with expected completion within the first half of 2027.”
On May 26 the Committee recognized an Eagle Scout project sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department: a mile-long orienteering course at Pleasant Valley Park.
Fees for 2026
Pleasant Valley Pool (Res. #2025-0422, Dec. 9, 2025, 4-0, Fields absent; early rate through March 31 / regular from April 1):
| Membership | Early | Regular |
|---|---|---|
| Resident family | $530 | $620 |
| Resident two-person household | $430 | $520 |
| Resident single | $275 | $365 |
| Resident senior (61+) or disabled adult (18+) | $125 | $150 |
| Non-resident family | $850 | $950 |
| Non-resident single | $440 | $505 |
New resident members also pay an initiation fee: $350 family or two-person, $175 single.
Coakley-Russo Memorial Golf Course (Res. #2025-0407, Nov. 25, 2025, 5-0): resident/VA affiliate full season $500 early (through Feb. 28, 2026) or $570 regular; non-resident $645 or $745; first-member initiation $300. The golf course runs as a self-liquidating utility; its 2026 budget of $642,234.88 (2025: $569,312.69) was adopted April 28, 2026.
Parks and facilities (Res. #2025-0434, Dec. 23, 2025, 5-0): a schedule of picnic shelter, field, turf and court rates. Residents may reserve a tennis court, pickleball court or the roller rink for recreational play up to 7 days ahead at no charge.
The Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead
The township acquired the Farmstead “with municipal open space funds in 1999”; it is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places and run by the Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead as Farmstead Arts. On May 26, 2026 the Committee authorized the Friends to apply to the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission for a historic preservation grant of up to $590,544 “to improve the overall usability, accessibility and safety of the Farmstead,” with a township match of up to $59,054 (Res. #2026-0283, 5-0). On June 9 it extended the Friends’ lease by ten years, to Dec. 31, 2060 (5-0).
What residents raised
The minutes record: the need for the cricket pitch (Nancy D’Andrea, April 28 budget hearing); additional trails from Ross Farms (Nancy D’Andrea, Aug. 25); and thanks for the Farmstead grant from a Farmstead Arts board member (Michael Fitzpatrick, May 26).
What is not known
- Whether Congress enacts the FY2027 money for Pleasant Valley Park, and when the culvert would be built.
- Whether the NJ DCA recreation grant was awarded.
- 2026 pool and golf season results (memberships and revenue).
What residents can do
- Attend the Recreation, Parks and Pathways Advisory Committee and the Pool Commission and Golf Advisory Committee, which recommend fees and projects.
- Speak at Township Committee meetings, where 2027 pool and golf fees are normally set in November and December.