Upgrades coming to Zuma Park

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP - The first major improvements to South Shore Zuma Park in some time are expected to get underway next month, including the construction of just under $75,000 in new playground equipment.

"We've saved for several years," said Franklin Township Trustee Joseph Karafit. "Since I took on the role as trustee, I've been pushing to try to do something with that park."

Trustees, Karafit said, looked into the possibility of making a contribution toward the park located at 6700 Brookside Drive, but learned such a move may be perceived as a conflict of interest.

Instead, they arranged to assume ownership of the 10-acre park. The park and all of its assets - two ball diamonds, playground equipment sitting on a pea gravel base, a shelter house, concession building, utility building and bleachers -were transferred from the park board, or South Shore Zuma Inc., to the board of trustees in December 2023.    "There's several pieces (of playground equipment) out there, including one setup that is a little bit more modern, but what we are doing is replacing some of the original equipment that was put in in approximately 1990. There's old wooden structures and they're dilapidated, worn out."

Trustees inked a contract with Midstates Recreation to install three pieces of equipment, including a net-style climber.

The company is expected to move in on June 30 and the work should be completed by early to mid-July. Trustees have committed to replacing the pea gravel base with play-ground safe wood mulch and taking out the old equipment.

"We are going to remove the old equipment and excavate the gravel out; Midstate Recreation is going to install the new playground equipment, and then we are going to put the mulch down," Karafit said.

Karafit said trustees have been socking away funds here and there to bankroll the project.

"We were able to raise some of the money through a grant, and the rest of it was just some money that we've been able to put to the side of the general fund over the last few years," he said. "It's been just a numbers game for several years until we're finally able to get to that."

Trustees also intend to repair damaged, sunken concrete around the shelter house next month and aim to upgrade the actual structure.

"We are looking at trying to fix up the shelter house with insulation and some windows and eventually a heater, so that way we would be able to do year-round rentals out of it," Karafit said. "We are going to hopefully continue down the road with some more playground pieces."

Perhaps most excitingly, at least for children, trustees plan to use topsoil that will be taken off from a nearby private parking lot expansion to make a sledding hill at the park. The timeline is dependent on the parking lot project.

The township's parks, which also include Strasburg Nature Park and Gilliland Nature Sanctuary and the 6.5-mile bike path spanning from South Shore Zuma Park to Strasburg Nature Park, are a great point of pride for Karafit.

"We're just doing what we can to try to draw attention to the park and help keep people active and involved in the community," he said. "We're really hoping to see some further use with installing the new equipment."

There's also been interest shown in baseball activities at the South Shore Zuma Park's two ball diamonds, Karafit said, adding that a more detailed announcement may be coming in the near future.