02 Nov ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES PLANS TO GIVE FACELIFT TO ROSE GARDEN IN ESSEX COUNTY BROOKDALE PARK
Published on November 2, 2026
Bloomfield/Montclair, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that work has started to give the Rose Garden in Essex County Brookdale Park in Bloomfield/Montclair a facelift. Essex County is collaborating with the Brookdale Park Conservancy on this project to update the Rose Garden and restore it to its original luster.
“Along with our Cherry Blossom trees in Branch Brook Park and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Montclair, the Brookdale Park Rose Garden is one the most beautiful, unique and recognizable features of our Parks System. We are proud to be partnering with the Brookdale Park Conservancy to give the Rose Gardens some attention and return them to their original luster so future generations can enjoy them,” DiVincenzo said.
“We appreciate the hard work of the conservancy volunteers and we are pleased to support project that promote our open space,” Commissioner President Carlos Pomares said.
“We can’t take open space for granted and projects like this one promote our parks,” Commissioner Brendan Gill said.
“On behalf of the Brookdale Park Conservancy, we are thrilled about this project. It is like a wish list come true. We’ve always believed the gardens were one of the jewels of Brookdale Park and this will help preserve the gardens for years to come,” Brookdale Park Conservancy President Don McLaughlin said.
The project includes creating two new flower beds, replacing the brick edges of the flower beds with permanent stone edges, replacing loose river rocks with new pavers, regrading and installing new landscaping, restoring carved signage, repairing the bulletin board/kiosk, repairing pathways and curbing where needed, installing new benches and trash receptacles, installing a 12-foot-tall metal obelisk on which a climbing rose bush could grow and relocating an existing water shut-off valve. In addition, a new shed for storing equipment will be constructed and an electrical connection will be established at the location to charge equipment.
French and Parrello from Wall was awarded a professional services contract for $296,000 to design the improvements. AB Contracting from Wharton was awarded a publicly bid contract for $471,500 to perform the construction work. The project is being funded with a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. It is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2027.
Revitalizing Essex County Brookdale Park
DiVincenzo’s administration has completed several improvement projects in Brookdale Park as part of a comprehensive initiative to revitalize the Essex County Park System.
The synthetic grass field and rubberized running track in the Oval were completed in May 2004 and was updated with new grass and rubberized surfaces in 2014. In 2006, the meadow underwent an extensive $1.15 million renovation that included the installation of new drainage and irrigation systems, the planting of sod on the entire meadow surface and the modernization of the baseball/softball field in the northern section of the meadow. The development of the Brookdale Dog Park and the reconstruction of the 11-court tennis facility were completed in November 2007. In 2009, the Circuit Drive, the parking lots and the walking paths throughout the park were repaved. In 2014, a three-phase project to install 148 light poles at the park entranceways and around the walking paths and an 18-station fitness course were completed. In 2015, the playground was updated with new climbing apparatus and a rubberized safety surface. In 2018, the welcome center received a comprehensive upgrade and in 2019 the tennis court complex was resurfaced and the county’s first pickleball courts were created. In 2022, a permanent bandstand/open air pavilion to be used as a stage for the Essex County Summer Concert Series was built. In 2023, the three softball/Little League fields in the northern section of the park were updated with synthetic playing surfaces on the infield portions of the fields. The tennis and pickleball court complex was modernized in 2024. These projects were funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. DiVincenzo has established partnerships with the Montclair United Soccer and the Brookdale Park Conservancy to obtain the grant funding.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, six off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. At 121.41 acres, Brookdale Park is the third largest park in the Essex County System. Land for the park was purchased between 1928 and 1931.
# # #