Orange Park (New Jersey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orange Park |
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Southwest entrance
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| Type | Public Park |
| Location | Orange, New Jersey |
| Area | 47.63 acres (192,800 m2) |
| Created | 1900 |
| Operated by | Essex County Park System |
| Open | All year |
| Website | http://www.essex-countynj.org/p/index.php?section=parks/sites/gl&ImgLoc=images/gl |
Orange Park is a fun and important county park located in Orange, New Jersey. It's officially called Monte Irvin Orange Park. This park is a great place for outdoor activities, with a playground, basketball court, soccer field, and even a man-made lake! It was built in 1899 and opened its gates in 1900.
Contents
History of Orange Park
How the Park System Started
The idea for the Essex County Park System came from Frederick W. Kelsey, who lived in Orange. In 1894, he helped create a special group called the parks commission. This group was approved by the New Jersey Supreme Court to buy land for parks.
Buying the Land
Starting in 1896, efforts began to buy land for parks in Orange, East Orange, and other parts of the county. Some land was bought secretly to prevent people from raising prices. The land for Orange Park was bought in 1897. This made it one of the first pieces of land bought for the Essex County park network. It is also one of the oldest parks in the entire country!
Designing and Opening the Park
Orange Park covers about 47.63 acres, which is like 36 football fields. This makes it the sixth-largest park in the county system. The land was originally marshy and cost $17,500. A lot of money, $100,000, was set aside to drain the swamp and make the park better. The famous Olmsted Brothers landscape design firm helped design the park. It unofficially opened to the public on August 25, 1900.
Park Features and Improvements
Modern Sports Fields
In 2009, Orange Park got a brand new artificial turf soccer field. This was part of a big $1 million project. The new field includes a scoreboard and fencing. It became the home field for the Orange High School Tornados soccer teams.
Upgrades for Everyone
This soccer field project was part of an even bigger plan. About $5 million was spent to improve many areas in the park. This included redeveloping baseball fields, basketball courts, and playgrounds. The U.S. Soccer Foundation helped with a $100,000 grant for the soccer field. They wanted to help improve soccer facilities in communities that needed them.
Honoring Important People
Renaming for Monte Irvin
In May 2006, Orange Park was renamed to honor Monte Irvin. He was a famous baseball player who lived in Orange. Monte Irvin played for the New York Giants. He was one of the first African American players in Major League Baseball. He is also a member of the Hall of Fame!
Memorial for a Detective
In April 2007, a special monument was placed in the park. It was dedicated to the memory of Orange Police Detective Kieran T. Shields. He passed away while on duty in the park in August 2006.
