Essex County Opens $9.8M Community Center at Monte Irvin Orange Park

Essex County cut the ribbon Monday for a new center at Monte Irvin Orange Park in Orange. The 8,580-square-foot structure cost $9.8 million. It honors Baseball Hall of Fame player Monte Irvin.

Inside sits a 5,000-square-foot multi-purpose room. There's a warming kitchen, police substation space, storage, and an office area. Restrooms can be accessed from inside or outside.

A covered entranceway leads visitors in, while a covered patio extends the space for outdoor gatherings. The parking lot holds about 50 cars.

"When we started our initiative to re-imagine the community centers in our parks, it always was our intention to build a facility in Monte Irvin Orange Park which never offered its visitors a place to hold indoor programs," County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. said in a statement per Patch.com. "This building is an attractive space and meets the needs of the residents for generations to come."

Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren attended. "This is a monumental event, to finally have a place for people to gather in the City of Orange," Warren said.

Orange Council President Adrienne Wooten spoke at the event too. "This is a place where people will love coming together," Wooten said.

Pam Fields, Monte Irvin's daughter, shared her reaction. "I am totally overwhelmed," she said. "I never thought I would see this beautiful building and to have my father's name on it is amazing."

Tsivikos Enterprises from Neptune City got the construction contract for $9,797,723. DiCara Rubino Architects from Wayne was awarded a professional services contract worth $522,900 to design the building and park entrance improvements.

Grants from the State of New Jersey and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund paid for it. The new center follows a design similar to other centers built throughout the county park system.

Monte Irvin was an Orange native who became one of the first African Americans to play in the major leagues. The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted him in 1973.

The park was named for Monte Irvin in 2006. This week marked the first time visitors had a place to hold indoor programs at the location.

Other officials who attended the ribbon cutting included U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, New Jersey Sens. Teresa Ruiz and Britnee Timberlake, New Jersey Assembly members Eliana Pintor Marin and Mike Venezia, Essex County Sheriff Amir Jones, and Essex County Prosecutor Ted Stephens. Pastor Melvin Wilson of St. Matthew AME Church participated as well.

Recent improvements to the park include updating the playground with new equipment and renovating baseball fields with synthetic grass infields. The county redid gardens and improved public accessibility throughout the grounds.

The center sits near the intersection of Central Avenue and Oakwood Avenue. It's the first such building at this park location.