Borough of Garwood, NJ Use of Parks, Facilities and Playgrounds

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

A person employed to provide a service to the public in a particular place, a person who is present at an event, meeting, or function.

MINIBIKE or MINICYCLE

A small, lightweight motorcycle with a low frame and designed generally for off-highway use.

NIGHT HOURS

Those hours between dusk to 9:00 p.m. for parks without lighting and dusk to 10:00 p.m. for parks with lighting, for consideration in the rental process. For other considerations, night hours are from dusk to dawn in all parks. (Night hours are when parks are closed to the general public.)

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive.

NONPROFIT YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATION

A corporation, association or other organization established pursuant to Title 15 of the Revised Statutes, Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes, or other law of this state, which provides recreational, cultural, charitable, social, or other activities or services for persons younger than 18 years of age, and is exempt from federal income taxes.

PARENT or GUARDIAN

The adult person having the care and custody of a minor child, whether by virtue of parentage, court order, or otherwise.

PUBLIC PARK, FACILITY OR PLAYGROUND

Shall include the following:

Harry Hartman Park, located at the westerly end of Second Avenue.

Garwood Sports and Recreation Complex, heretofore known as Athletic Field Complex, Garwood Memorial Park, James V. Guerriero Memorial Field and Garwood Little League Field, located at the easterly end of Myrtle Avenue, shall hereby be known for the purpose of this code as Garwood Sports and Recreation Complex.

Georgiana Gurrieri Memorial Park, located at the westerly end of Fourth Avenue.

All public parks, fields, playgrounds, facilities, or recreation areas and places owned by the Borough of Garwood and operated by the Borough of Garwood under the direction of the Recreation Director and/or Mayor and Council.

§ 126-2 Hours for use of public parks, facilities and playgrounds.

Hours for use of public parks, facilities and playgrounds within the Borough of Garwood are as follows:

(1)

Garwood Sports and Recreation Complex, located at the easterly end of Myrtle Avenue, 7:00 a.m. to dusk, daily.

(2)

Hartman Park, located at the westerly end of Second Avenue, 7:00 a.m. to dusk, daily.

Except for unusual and unforeseen emergencies, parks shall be open to the public every day of the year during the designated hours. The opening and closing hours for each individual park shall be posted therein for public information.

The hours for use of the public parks, facilities and playgrounds within the Borough of Garwood as set forth in § 126-2A, shall not be applicable to those recreational activities and programs sponsored or sanctioned by, or under the auspices of, the Recreation Director and/or the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Garwood. Recreational activities and programs established by the Recreation Director of the Borough of Garwood shall include specific hours and be contained in a notice as prepared by the Recreation Director.

Any section or part of any park may be declared closed to the public by the Mayor and Council or the Recreation Director at any time and for any interval of time, either temporary or at regular and stated intervals (daily or otherwise) and either entirely or merely for certain uses, as the Mayor and Council or Recreation Director shall find reasonably necessary.

§ 126-3 Permit for use during night hours.

The Recreation Director shall regulate all parks, facilities and playgrounds within the Borough as provided by statute and/or this chapter. Permits shall be issued to individuals or groups for the use of park, facilities and playground property during night hours, provided a formal application is made for such use and by the providing of sufficient security or other guarantee as the Recreation Director or Mayor and Council shall deem appropriate to assure the care, maintenance and safety of the public parks, facilities and playgrounds.

It shall be unlawful for any person to enter or remain upon a public park, facility or playground in the Borough of Garwood during night hours without a permit issued by the Recreation Director or the Mayor and Council.

§ 126-4 Prohibited activities.

Bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades and other similar wheeled recreational conveyances and the use of same are prohibited at Georgiana Gurrieri Memorial Park, Fourth Avenue. No person shall be in possession of or shall use any of the above in said park at any time.

No person in a public park, facility and recreation area shall:

(1)

Willfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, tamper with or displace or remove any buildings, bridges, tables, benches, fireplaces, railings, pavings or paving materials, waterlines or other public utilities or parts or appurtenances thereof, signs, notices or placards, whether temporary or permanent, monuments, stake posts or other boundary markers or other structures or equipment, facilities or park property or appurtenances whatsoever, either real or personal;

(2)

Fail to cooperate in maintaining restrooms and washrooms in a neat and sanitary condition;

(3)

Dig or remove any soil, rock, sand, stones, trees, shrubs or plants or other wood or materials or make any excavation by tool, equipment, blasting or other means or agency;

(4)

Construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, whether permanent or temporary, or run or string any public service utility into, upon or across such lands, except on special written permit issued hereunder;

(5)

Damage, cut, carve, transplant or remove any tree or plant or injure the bark or pick the flowers or seeds of any tree or plant, dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas or in any other way injure the natural beauty or usefulness of any area;

(6)

Climb any tree or walk or stand upon monuments, vases, planters, fountains, railings, fences or upon any other property not designated or customarily used for such purposes;

(7)

Tie or hitch an animal or person to any tree or plant;

(8)

Hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, pursue, chase, tease, shoot, or throw missiles at any wild life, reptile or bird, nor shall be or she remove or have in his or her possession the young of any wild animal or the eggs or nest or young of any reptile or bird;

(9)

Throw, discharge or otherwise place or cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream or other body of water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary stream, storm sewer or drain flowing into such water any substance, matter or thing, liquid or solid, which will or may result in the pollution of such waters;

(10)

Have brought in or shall dump in, deposit or leave any bottles, broken glass, ashes, paper, boxes, cans, dirt, rubbish, waste, garbage or refuse or other trash. No such refuse or trash shall be placed in any waters in or contiguous to any park, or shall be left anywhere on the grounds thereof, but shall be placed in the proper receptacles where these are provided; where receptacles are not provided, all such rubbish or waste shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence and properly disposed of elsewhere;

(11)

Drive any vehicle on any area except the paved park roads or parking areas, or such areas as may on occasion be specifically designated as temporary areas by the Recreation Director;

(12)

Park a vehicle in other than an established or designated parking area, and such shall be in accordance with posted directions thereat and with the instruction of any attendant who may be present;

(13)

Leave a vehicle standing or parked at night in established parking areas or elsewhere in the park areas;

(14)

Leave a bicycle in a place other than a bicycle rack when such is provided and there is space available;

(15)

Ride a bicycle without reasonable regard to the safety of others or ride a bicycle on any natural or synthetic turf field or athletic court;

[Amended 7-27-2023 by Ord. No. 23-22]

(16)

Leave a bicycle lying on the ground or paving or set against trees or in any place or position where other persons may trip over or be injured by it;

(17)

Ride or bring a mini bike into any park or recreational area;

(18)

Carry or possess firearms of any description or air rifles, spring guns, bows and arrows, slings or any other forms of weapons potentially inimical to wildlife and dangerous to human safety or any instrument that can be loaded with and fire blank cartridges or any kind of trapping device. Shooting into park areas from beyond park boundaries is forbidden;

(19)

Picnic or lunch in a place other than those designated for that purpose. Attendants shall have the authority to regulate that activity in such areas when necessary to prevent congestion and to secure the maximum use for the comfort and convenience of all. Visitors shall comply with any directions given to achieve this end;

(20)

Set up tents, shacks or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping, nor any movable structure or special vehicle to be used or that could be used for such purpose, such as a house trailer, camp trailer, camp wagon or the like, except in those areas designated by the Recreation Director for those purposes and with permission;

(21)

Take part in or abet the playing of any games involving thrown or otherwise propelled objects such as balls, stones, arrows, javelins, horseshoes, quoits or model airplanes except in those areas set apart for such forms of recreation. The playing of rough or comparatively dangerous games such as football, baseball, softball, hockey, soccer, basketball, lacrosse or other sport is prohibited except on the fields and courts or areas provided therefor. Roller skating is prohibited unless directed and permitted by the Recreation Director;

(22)

Horseback riding is prohibited;

(23)

Vandalize a natural grass or turf sport field; and further, motor vehicles, snowmobiles, mini bikes, dirt bikes and all other motorized vehicles shall be considered to be unauthorized vehicles, and they are not permitted on athletic fields, park areas or recreation areas within the public parks and/or recreation areas in the Borough of Garwood.

§ 126-5 Conduct.

While in a public park, facility or recreation area, all persons shall conduct themselves in a proper and orderly manner and, in particular, no person shall:

Bring alcoholic beverages or drink the same in a public park or recreation area unless permission is granted for special events by the Recreation Director and the special event is approved by the Mayor and Council in accordance with this chapter and/or Code of the Borough;

Have in his or her possession or set or otherwise cause to explode or discharge or burn any firecrackers, torpedo rockets or other fireworks, firecrackers or explosives of flammable material or discharge them or throw them into any such areas from lands or highways adjacent thereto. This prohibition includes any substance, compound, mixture or article that, in conjunction with any other substance or compound, would be dangerous from any of the foregoing standpoints;

Be responsible for the entry of a dog or other domestic animal into areas clearly marked by signs bearing the words "domestic animals prohibited in this area." Nothing herein shall be construed as permitting the running of dogs at large. All dogs in those areas where such animals are permitted shall be restrained at all times on adequate leashes not greater than six feet in length;

In accordance with § 58-27 of the Code of the Borough of Garwood, pet owners and keepers are required to immediately and properly dispose of their pet's solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person;

Proper disposal of pet waste is as follows placement in a designated waste receptacle, or other suitable container, and discarded in a refuse container which is regularly emptied by the municipality or some other refuse collector; or disposal into a system designed to convey domestic sewage for proper treatment and disposal;

Build or attempt to build a fire except in such areas and under such regulations as may be designated by the Recreation Director. No person shall drop, throw or otherwise scatter lighted matches, burning cigarettes or cigars, tobacco paper or other flammable material within any part or on any highways, roads or streets abutting or contiguous thereto;

Enter an area posted as closed to the public nor shall any person use or abet in the use of any area in violation of posted notices;

Gamble or participate in or abet any game of chance except in such areas and under such regulations as may be designated by the Recreation Director and/or Mayor and Council;

Sleep or protractedly lounge on the seats or benches or other areas or engage in loud, boisterous, threatening, abusive, insulting or indecent language or engage in any disorderly conduct or behavior tending to breach the public peace;

Fail to produce and exhibit any permit from the Recreation Director he or she claims to have upon request of any authorized person who shall desire to inspect the same for the purpose of enforcing compliance with any statute, chapter or local ordinance or rule;

Disturb or interfere unreasonably with any person or party occupying any area or participating in any activity under the authority of a permit;

Expose or offer for sale any article or thing, nor shall be or she station or place any stand, cart or vehicle for the transportation, sale or display of any such article or thing. Exception is here made as to any regularly licensed concessionaire acting by and under the authority and regulation of the Recreation Director;

Paste, glue, tack or otherwise post any sign, placard, advertisement or inscription whatever, nor shall any person erect or cause to be erected any sign whatever on any public lands or highways or roads adjacent to a park;

Any act that is deemed to be in violation of the criminal or traffic laws of the State of New Jersey and/or of the Code of the Borough of Garwood.