Brook Street Park in the Village of Sloatsburg is currently undergoing an extensive improvement project — the park will be completely updated. It will see new slides, play areas, pathways, and more.

The wet, rainy weather has not been a big help in staying on a seasonal timeline to renovate Brook Street Park. But the comprehensive renewal project is underway and more than halfway completed. The Sloatsburg Highway and Public Works Department has provided tear-down assistance on the project. The Brook Street Park renovation will include all new surfacing, playground sets, an updated tiny tot area, and was voted on by the Village of Sloatsburg Board in April 2018. The entire project was budgeted and bonded at $289,000.

Sloatsburg Sewer Project, Metra and Stop Work Order

The Village Board discussed the current Metra and Rockland County Sewer District 1 stop work order. The Route 17 shut down in north Sloatsburg took place in late September when a piece unexploded dynamite (or explosive) used for blasting on site suddenly blew.

One question brought up at the board meeting is whether Metra or the RC Sewer District knew of any more errant pieces of explosives. In September, the Metra road crew filled in the hole before after the explosion before a thorough examination of the work site could be completed. The Metra supervisor working the job site has since been relieved of duty.

The stop work order on the sewer project will remain in place until new blasting procedures are put in place by the RC Sewer District, with input from the Village and NYS Department of Transportation. Currently, the north Sloatsburg sewer project along Route 17 has has some 126 feet before the phase is complete. When complete, the Sloatsburg sewer construction part of the project should be completed.

While the Western Ramapo Sewer District project is nearing completion, area utilities companies have met with the NYS DOT and are planning to make underground line improvements through Sloatsburg in 2019, which will delay the final paving of Route 17 through the village.

The proposed Complete Streets project through Sloatsburg is anticipated to begin after the utilities work — possibly in late 2019 or 2020.