Tennis, pickleball, parking, pavilion, restrooms coming
CAPE MAY — A project several years in the making, there is more work to be done at the newly renovated Lafayette Street Park.
The third phase of the project includes the hard courts (tennis, pickleball and basketball), parking area, pavilion and restrooms.
On July 7, engineer Vince Orlando said he has been working on the project for four years.
He added that after presenting the conceptual plan to City Council, an application will be made to the County Open Space Review Board.
“Hopefully I can see this being out to bid, maybe by the end of the year and maybe start construction in early spring,” Orlando said, adding that it would be good timing with the work on the police station.
The city had to break the project into parts, which required involving the Department of Environmental Protection, city and state historic preservation groups, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Board of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Jersey Central Power & Light, among others.
The nature trails were originally phase four, but ended up becoming phase one.
“The trail project, which had a lot of [Department of Environmental Protection] hurdles, was successful,” Orlando said, adding that he still gets accolades on the trail behind the Cape May City Elementary School.
The Lafayette Street Park Nature Trail officially opened June 13, 2025. It includes a new ADA-accessible boardwalk and a raised walkway overlooking the marshes of Cape Island Creek.
“[The trails] blend well [with] the city and it became a great part of the city’s recreational fabric,” Orlando said. “We followed up with phase two, which was the dog park, the gazebos, the outfield area, play area and bocce courts.”
Permitting and environmental cleanup have been significant parts of the lengthy process.
In October 2025, Mullock said the hard courts are near the wetlands and that developing any hard surface requires a CAFRA permit. He added that during the process, some of the city’s grants had expired and that the grants would pay for 70 percent of the remaining park.
Now in phase three, Orlando said the hope is that the Open Space Board will allow the city to use the phase two contribution.
“So that this entire phase, the county will pick up as part of their 50/50 share, because they changed the way they do business,” Orlando said, adding that some changes had been made to the court locations so that pickleball courts were away from the residential component across the street.
The parking area will include 40 paved spaces, with Orlando noting that they were limited to 49 without going to the DEP.
Lafayette Street Park is an active area, with the future home of the Cape May Police Department among the ongoing construction.
“Once the police station is completed, and not part of this, we will then be able to go to the DEP because the percent lot coverage is not part of recreational complexes, but part of public service buildings,” Orlando said. “The reason those two are tied in is because they’re adjacent. Once that’s done, we’ll go back to the DEP to get the rest of the parking approved.”
Construction on the long-awaited Cape May Police Department began Nov. 11, 2025, on the corner of Lafayette and Saint Johns streets, a former part of Lafayette Street Park.
In March 2025, the State House Commission unanimously granted approval to Cape May’s land diversion proposal, providing the space for the construction of the police station.
The approval allowed the city to exchange 6.6 acres of environmentally sensitive land adjacent to the Sewell Tract for 0.137 acres at Lafayette Street Park, which is part of the state Green Acres program.
“We’re looking at an entry into the park, [with] a planted garden and entryway with a nice sign,” Orlando said. “The idea is to light the entire facility, so you’ll be able to have evening hours if you want.”
Orlando suggested lights on timers and added that lighting timing in the offseason is worth considering.
“I think the county Open Space Board is pretty excited about what they’re seeing here,” he said. “The active recreation facility is the last component of Lafayette [Street Park]; I think it will work well.”
Mayor Zack Mullock said he was excited about having the police station nearby, recalling times when there were police athletic leagues and summer recreation leagues.
“I played in some of them and that was always a lot of fun, a great way to bring the community together and bring the police department together with our kids,” Mullock said. “My only comment is to request something a little special with the pavilion like you did at Harborview Park.”
Orlando said the Open Space Board is not tied to the previously required placemaking elements, so they should have an open book on how they want to do the restrooms and pavilion.
Deputy Mayor Maureen McDade said that at the time, the board was reviewing designs and was flexible about materials.
“The placemaking benches aren’t bad; we have them on the pavilion,” Orlando said. “The green space in front, we want to make special. We’re going to do some uplighting, some small trees, maybe we’ll do some type of monument or sculpture.”
Councilman Shaine Meier suggested a memorial garden and relocating the park flag near it. He also added that the Shade Tree Commission would be happy to recommend trees in the front area of the park.
“The people who are associated with this park have done so much for the youth over the past 50 years. It’s very patriotic and I think it goes together,” Meier said.
Councilwoman Lorraine Baldwin asked about changing the tennis court into an additional four pickleball courts, noting the city already has a tennis club.
Meier said the tennis court was previously associated with the Wise Anderson Park there, named for local resident Charles Wise in honor of his dedication to teaching tennis to local youth.
McDade and City Manager Paul Dietrich asked about options for a hybrid court.
Orlando said it is difficult because the striping is different and the nets are never the same extensions.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave