Yanticaw Park facts for kids

Yanticaw Park is a cool park in Nutley, New Jersey. It's owned by Essex County and sits right next to the Third River. You can find it between Centre Street and Chestnut Street, stretching all the way to Passaic Avenue.

Park History: How Yanticaw Began

People in Nutley really wanted a park, so in 1911, Essex County started buying land for it. They drained wet areas, called wetlands, and built a dam to create a lake. The park was finished in 1914. Later, in 1962, the lake was drained. A channel was dug to make the Third River flow through the park more naturally.

"Girls' Park": Fun and Play

The lower part of Yanticaw Park, located east of Park Drive, is often called "Girls' Park." This section is where you'll find the Third River flowing. It's also home to the Frank A. Cocchiola Memorial Playground. This playground was completed in 2003 and officially opened in 2006. It has a soft, rubberized surface for safety and lots of fun equipment. Students from nearby Nutley High School often run through this part of the park for their gym classes. Just north of this area, there's a public basketball court. In 2010, both the basketball court and the playground bathrooms were completely updated.

"Boys' Park": Sports and Games

The upper part of the park, located between Park Drive and Passaic Avenue, is known as "Boys' Park." This section has the Carmen A. Orechio Recreation Complex. Here, you'll find several sports fields. There's an artificial turf softball field, plus a grass softball field and a large grass baseball field. All these fields were newly leveled and improved in 2010, making them great places for games.