A dog carries a found treasure along the trail at the Bliss Price Arboretum andWildlife Sanctuary. Planned upgrades include new signage and trail repairs. KRISTEN DALTON EATONTOWN — The Borough Council and the Eatontown Shade Tree Commission are working together to secure funds for improvements to the Bliss Price Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary located north of Wyckoff Road.

The council authorized the Shade Tree Commission and Bob Stetz, of T&M Engineering, to move forward with an application for a matching $25,000 grant from the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection Recreational Trail Program during the council workshop meeting on Feb. 1.

The deadline for the grant application is Feb. 15.

The commission plans to use the funds to repair the main trail, provide an informational kiosk and add signage throughout the passive recreation area.

“Despite the maintenance efforts from the Public Works Department and volunteer efforts, the arboretum is in current need of some major upgrades to preserve and enhance the visitor experience for a variety of activities,” Barbara Olsavsky, arboretum liaison, said.

The arboretum is a 47-acre passive recreational park that features several specimen trees, 3.5 miles of trails and a variety of wildlife, she said .

Themain trail connects the front entrance at Wyckoff Road to the rear entrance at Cliffwood Road and has begun to erode.

“There are ankle-breaking holes on thatmain trail,” Bob Wolf, chairman of the Shade Tree Commission, said.

During the presentation, a video of the current conditions at the park was shown, as well as plans for improvements.

The first project would include graveling the main trail with 4 inches of stone, for a width of 8 feet .

“We want to start graveling from Wyckoff Road, through the main gate,” Wolf said. “We also want to [put down] stone up to Husky Brook Bridge, since the ledge is in disrepair. We would stone to the other side and through the back gate to Cliffwood.”

Olsavsky added that this would allow the trail to become wheelchair accessible and would attract more people.

“We want to make that main trail wheelchair accessible because the people from the senior center that are in wheelchairs or motorized wheelchairs can get to the other neighborhoods and enjoy,” Olsavsky said. “The main trail is a half-mile, which is a substantial amount of trail for somebody in a wheelchair.”

She added that the main trail links the senior center to multiple residential areas from Cliffwood Avenue toWyckoff Road as well as the Meadowbrook School and the Harbor School on Broad Street.

“Trails that link populated areas are [listed in the grant]. This is one of the things that the arboretum does,” Olsavsky said.

The second project would include developing trailhead signage at both entrances.

“This is your typical park entrance kiosk. On one side, we want to have an overview of the whole park with all the trails outlined, and on the other side we want any pertinent information— perhaps drawing of leaves of different types of trees, pictures of different animals, etc., that would just really make it a tad more inviting for people to know where they are going and what is in the park,” Wolf said.

The final project would add trail signs throughout the arboretum, he said.

“We wanted to name a few of the trails and actually have trail signage up there to make it more attractive.

We think if we can get more people to the park, the more peoplewill care about what is going on with it,” Wolf said.

If awarded the maximum grant amount of $25,000, the Borough Council would have to match 20 percent of that amount.

“We would have to come up with $6,200matchingmoney so the total grant would be $31,000,” Wolf said .

Council President Anthony Talerico Jr. asked if it is possible that the grant amount would be lower.

“Does it work that some people may not win what they ask for but can get a smaller portion, or is it all or nothing?” he asked.

Stetz said that it is possible that the borough might not receive the $25,000 maximum.

Councilman Kevin Gonzalez asked how the Shade Tree Commission plans to prioritize the projects if the maximum amount is not awarded.

Wolf explained that the projects would start with the trail repair, since it is the most important, and then proceed accordingly.

“We think marking the trails would be the last thing we would do,” Wolf said.

Members of the council agreed that the improvements are needed.

“As a kid, Iwent through the arboretum,” Councilman Dennis Connelly said. “Just recently I went through the arboretum and it is in horrific shape compared to what I remember.”

Councilman Meir Araman asked the council members to move forward with approval of the grant application.

“The arboretum is one of the jewels of Eatontown. To keep it that way, we have to maintain it, so let the guys work on it,” Araman said.

The vote on the resolution authorizing the grant application is expected to be on the agenda for the Borough Council’s Feb. 8 meeting.