Improvents to Francis G. Fitzpatrick Park

NJ Alliance For ActionsDistinguished Engineering Award

Located on Avenue C between West 26th and West 27th Streets, and across the street from Bayonne City Hall stands Francis G. Fitzpatrick Park. The existing centrally located facility constructed in the 1970s is named after former Mayor Francis G. Fitzpatrick who served as Mayor from 1962 to 1974. The park was constructed on the former site of the City’s Police and Fire Department Headquarters and was becoming old and antiquated.

Like most older and Historic Cities within the State of New Jersey, the City of Bayonne has an existing infrastructure that contains a large amount of combined sewer systems. These systems transport sewage and urban runoff together to the ultimate point of sewage treatment. During heavy rain events, the load on the tributary branches of these sewer systems may cause backup resulting in diluted raw sewage flowing out of input sources such as toilets and basements.

To advance the city-wide strategy to alleviate localized flooding, a stormwater collection and retention system needed to be incorporated within the improvements.

To advance the city-wide strategy to alleviate localized flooding, a stormwater collection and retention system needed to be incorporated within the improvements.

The stormwater collection system improvements consisted of the construction of new stormwater inlets and a networked reinforced concrete pipe stormwater collection system along 3 blocks of Avenue C within the area of the park. This area of the City has experienced basement flooding for many years during significant rain events. The networked system was designed to collect the stormwater within the area and direct it to a below-grade detention basin located beneath the northern half of the improved recreation facility. The detention basin consists of a series of 48” diameter perforated ADS pipes along with a control structure that can hold approximately 300,000 gallons of stormwater runoff that formerly flowed into the City’s combined sewer system.

With substantial completion of the stormwater collection system, construction began on the new and improved recreation facility. The design of the new facility included a multi-purpose roller hockey rink and pickleball court along with a new and modern splash park. In recognition of the park site’s history, two age-appropriate tot lot areas were incorporated into the design to honor the City’s Police Department and Fire Department.

Additional Park amenities include a new swing set area and a patio area with accessible game tables, picnic tables, and a monument and dedication plaque area. A porous paver walkway traverses the site and connects to all of the focal points. Decorative benches, bicycle racks, water fountains, and trash/recycling receptacles also adorn the facility. The park was designed to be pet-friendly and include pet waste stations and drinking features.

At the re-dedication ceremony for the new facility, the former Mayor’s Granddaughter spoke about how proud he would have been to have such a beautiful facility within the City of Bayonne.