Roselle Park is getting more than $400,000 in county funding to upgrade a neighborhood park and fix the heating and cooling system inside its municipal building. The borough landed two separate grants through a competitive 2026 funding cycle, with the funds split between accessibility, safety and comfort improvements at Aldene Park and HVAC upgrades at the municipal building.
The two awards total more than $400,000, according to TAPinto, which reported that Aldene Park was allocated $175,000 for a range of site improvements while the Roselle Park Municipal Building was allocated $230,000 for HVAC upgrades. Both awards came through the Union County Improvement Authority's 2026 Capital Project Grant Program, which made a $10 million funding pool available exclusively to the county's constituent municipalities, according to the Union County Improvement Authority.
What's Changing at Aldene Park
The Aldene Park project covers a wide swath of the grounds, starting with accessibility. Plans call for an ADA-compliant entrance ramp and transition pad, along with grading work to level low spots, smooth out uneven turf and clear away excess mulch, per the same TAPinto report.
The park's basketball court is also getting a security and comfort upgrade: an eight-foot perimeter fence with windscreens and a single designated entrance. Visitors can expect a new drinking fountain with a bottle-filling station and a pet bowl, plus new benches, picnic tables and trash receptacles. A permanent shade structure is planned over the main seating and picnic area, giving families a shaded spot to gather during warmer months.
Cameras Tied Directly to Police Dispatch
Security is also part of the package. The Aldene Park project includes replacing the current camera system with high-definition surveillance equipment that connects directly to the Roselle Park Police Department's dispatch center, the TAPinto article notes.
Separately, the $230,000 allocated for the municipal building will go toward HVAC upgrades, addressing the heating and cooling system inside Borough Hall.
How the County Grant Program Works
UCIA's 2026 Capital Project Grant Program was designed to accelerate local projects of economic, transportation or governmental importance, according to the authority's grant application documents. Eligible projects needed a total capital cost exceeding $100,000, and municipalities were not required to put up matching funds. The application deadline for this cycle was October 1, 2026, with formal board award notifications due no later than October 6, 2026.
UCIA Executive Director Dr. Bibi Taylor said public parks bring communities together, providing spaces where families can gather and neighbors can connect. “Investing in these shared spaces is an important part of making our communities stronger and more connected,” Taylor said, according to TAPinto.
Part of a Broader County Push
Grant recipients across Union County must fully expend awarded funds within five years of executing the formal grant agreement, per the UCIA application. If funds go unspent after that window, a municipality may be barred from future county grants for five years or required to repay the unspent balance through annual appropriations over five years at a fixed 2% interest rate.
This isn't the first time Aldene Park has benefited from county dollars. A previous $40,000 grant funded playground safety and featured equipment improvements at both Acker Park and Aldene Park, according to mycentraljersey.com, which reported that the Union County Board of Commissioners had awarded grants to 20 municipalities for recreation-resource improvements. That earlier funding round was financed through the Union County Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund, which has helped preserve more than 315 acres throughout the county.
