Orangetown Highway Dept. Ready for Tappan Park Renovation

Last August, Tappan Reformed Church Pastor Dan Hoover proposed a plan for improvements to the park between his church and Greenbush Road. 

The plan, initially suggested by the American Legion, includes the removal of a flagpole, the removal of trees that have overgrown existing memorials and the paving of a path that will run from the north end to the south end of the park.

The trees that are taken down would be replaced Shadberry Trees, which are smaller, growing to a maximum size of 20 feet tall, so they would not obscure the memorials. 

"We presented to the board that we should consider the sidewalk," Orange town Highway Superintendent James Dean said. "(The land) is owned mostly by the church. There is a portion owned by the town. That will be part of the lawn the church will maintain.

"There are two maple trees that have outlived their useful lives. They are dying. There are also two large pine trees that are at the end of their life cycle and in conflict with power lines. The one large pine tree, according to the plan, will stay."

Dean informed the town council last week that his department is ready to go ahead with the work, which will include the removal of some trees in the park at the start of the process. At the time of the initial presentation, Dean wanted to make it clear to the public that the trees being removed will be replaced.

"We are ready to go with the project, which means we will be removing the trees," Dean said.

Dean said there is still more than enough money left from an $800,000 bond passed for work in Tappan to cover the project. Most of the work will be done in house, with the exception of an outside contractor to put in the sidewalk.

"We will wind up spending another $40,000 out of the bond to do the work we don't do in house," Dean said.

"It sounds like a wonderful project," Orangetown Supervisor Andy Stewart said. "I've seen the drawings. It is a great improvement."

The Tappan Reformed Church has been doing its own renovations as well.

"I want to thank you all for considering this work," Hoover said. "The town has been tremendous with our restoration. It will be a real addition to beautifying the downtown district there and topping off all of the work that has been done."

"It really does make the area a lot safer," Councilman Tom Diviny said. "It improves safety down in that area."