Arco Construction Group

Architect:

DMR Architect

Scope Of Work

Phase two of the project will focus on land improvements at the riverbank site, as phase one was water-related work. It will include landscaping work, construction of a winter boat storage house, plus a pavilion for educational programs, promenade above the riverbank and parking area.

The NJMC plans all of its projects with the environment in mind, and River Barge Park will be no different. The commission has already installed a solar-powered water-monitoring device at the marina as part of phase one. The remote device allows scientists and naturalists at the commission’s headquarters in Lyndhurst to monitor salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen in the Hackensack River via satellite.

Phase two promises a thatch-roofed pavilion made of old-growth pine wood, recycled from the Barge Club demolition.

Commission officials said they look forward to the park’s opening, eagerly awaiting droves of visitors. Officials have no doubt that interest in the park will be immediate and overflowing, as it boasts Bergen County’s first boat launch to the Hackensack in decades.

The NJMC installed the 100-foot-wide boat launch during phase one, as well as a lowered dock for canoe and skull use. There will not be a fee for launching, either, as the impetus for the project is public use. The site is intended for people to visit and experience the Hackensack River.

For this eco-friendly agency, awareness is foremost important. “One of the commission’s goals is to raise awareness of the natural beauty of the Meadowlands and the recovery of its ecosystem,” said Brian Aberback, NJMC spokesman. “By increasing public access to the Hackensack River, River Barge Park will enable residents in the Meadowlands District and beyond to further enjoy the natural environment in their backyard.”