News Archive

Middle Township plans fall upgrades for MLK Community Center

Refresh opens the door to new possibilities

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Middle Township recently expanded its recreational basketball programs at Martin Luther King Community Center.
Upcoming improvements could help the center accommodate even more activities.

Middle Township’s Martin Luther King Community Center has seen a lot of sneaker traffic lately.

The Township’s Recreation Department held its first basketball day camps and a summer basketball league this year. The Township also ran a new travel AAU basketball program in partnership with Middle Township High School.

All the extra playtime took a toll on the indoor courts. Meanwhile, the outdoor basketball equipment, used for pickup games, is rusty and overdue for replacement.

In a big win for Township players and programs, the MLK Center will receive upgrades beginning this fall. The game lines on indoor basketball and volleyball courts will be repainted and the outdoor basketball backstops will be replaced. Also, new vinyl flooring will be installed inside the center lobby.

The improvements will be funded through the Township’s Capital Ordinance that was approved earlier this summer. Contracts to replace the basketball backstops and the vinyl flooring will be approved at the Sept. 8 Township Committee meeting.

“The courts have been through tremendous wear and tear from their constant use. These upgrades will be greatly appreciated in the community,” said Committeeman Jim Norris, who oversees the Recreation Department. “They will allow our new and existing basketball leagues to flourish and open the door to Middle Township hosting larger tournaments in our future as well once work is completed.”

Up to this point, all of the basketball programs and tournaments have been held inside the MLK Center gym, noted Superintendent of Recreation Dustin Sturm. The improvements will literally open the door to potential growth.

“To be able to go outside with programs and tournaments is huge. It allows us to say ‘yes’ to a lot of the things we couldn’t do prior to these upgrades,” Sturm said.

The upgrades contribute to a simple equation of “more basketball courts, more kids, more talent,” said Sturm, who added that the project will support the Recreation Department’s big-picture goal of serving as a feeder program for Middle Township High School. “It is very important that we become and maintain that feeder program mentality for our high school. Also, the high school teams use our facility as well. So, it’s a win-win for all.”

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Middle Township Trash and Recycling Service for the Labor Day Week (September 6th-10th, 2021) will Remain as Scheduled.

Reminder:  Trash receptacles are not to be larger than 50 gallon capacity.  Larger receptacles will not be picked up.

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Newly paved Central Avenue is one of many Middle Township roads to receive improvements.

Despite the challenges posed by pandemic restrictions and related constraints on construction supplies and timetables, Middle Township continues to pursue an ambitious schedule for road and drainage improvements, according to Deputy Mayor Ike Gandy.

“It’s been challenging the last few years to get large infrastructure projects completed,” Gandy said. “But we made progress, not excuses. A number of important road and drainage improvements were completed. “

Gandy, who oversees the Public Works Department, along with Engineering, Zoning and Construction, announced the following projects were accomplished as part of the recently completed Road and Drainage Program:

• 4th Street/Rio Grande – paving and sidewalks
• Teal Road – paving and drainage upgrades
• Linden Lane – road and drainage improvements
• Wildwood and Central Avenues – road paving
• Swainton Road Project (Birch/Dogwood/Cedar/Avocado/Aspen/Coconut Roads) – road paving
• Scallop Court/Jadens’s Run – final asphalt
• Avalon Manor/Stone Harbor Manor – bulkhead Improvements
• Carter Road – road reconstruction and drainage
• Main Street/Whitesboro – traffic calming project and upgrades to pedestrian crosswalk
• Gibbs Street – road paving
• West Atlantic Avenue – drainage and road improvements
• East Atlantic/East Pacific Avenues – drainage improvements
• Hand Avenue – sidewalk connector project
• Shellbay Avenue – striping and extension of No Passing Zone
• Route 9 resurfacing – Route 47 to Swainton (NJDOT Project)

“In a town of 72 square miles, there is always more work to be done,” Gandy said. “We recently approved a $1.5 million bond for continuing road and drainage improvements and we expect to award a contract for engineering services for drainage upgrades and paving on Secluded Lane in Rio Grande at our September 8 Township Committee meeting.”

Gandy said the Township would continue to seek grant funding through various state programs. Middle has been awarded several grants in the past few years to fund paving projects in Rio Grande and the sidewalk improvements on Hand Avenue.

Looking to 2022, the Township will again apply for state grants, seeking to fund drainage and road improvements on Main Street in Whitesboro, west of Pennsylvania Avenue.

“Along with these road and drainage projects, we have the pending Del Haven Water Project, the ongoing modernization of our sewer pump stations, the beginning of construction on the final phase of our bike path and pending applications for future Open Space Projects. There’s a lot of good work going on in Middle Township,” Gandy said. “We will continue to work to complete these projects on time and at the lowest possible cost to our taxpayers.”

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PUBLIC NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE

BE ADVISED, Railroad Avenue in Rio Grande will be closed on Thursday 08/19 from 7am until 12 noon from Teal Road through the intersection of US HWY 47/ Railroad Avenue.
Please use alternate routes during this construction time frame.

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