Memorial Park, Field to Open Early [VIDEO]

is scheduled to open well before the Memorial Day weekend, according to Council Member James Lonergan.

Engineer Vincent J. DeNave said the trees along the boundary of the park have been planted, and the water feature for the kiddie pool has been installed.

"It looks great. It's almost done, it'll be ready to go and for play by May 1," Lonergan said at the Chatham Borough Council meeting Monday.

Grass has been put down on , and with the warm weather has helped it take root. Also, 26 trees were planted at the field to in preparation of the project.

New fencing has been installed, and the deck area around the is complete. Tiling in the pool will go in early next week, DeNave said, and the pool will be filled with water soon thereafter.

The basketball court was repaved using professionals and milling equipment from the borough's shared service with Summit. The cost, Lonergan said, was only a few hundred dollars for what could have cost about $2,000 were it not for the shared service.

Overall, the project is ahead of schedule and at or "maybe even under" budget, Lonergan said.

DeNave is trying to get the contractor to finish the project by April 15, well in advance of the Memorial Day weekend deadline.

The grand reopening of Memorial Park and Pool will be Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m.

Fees for joining the Chatham Borough Municipal Pool remain flat from 2011 until April 30. The 2012 fees, which take effect after May 1, are as follows:

Swim lesson registration begins Wednesday for all children who will be 4 years old before June 25, when lessons begin. Swim lessons run Monday though Friday for three consecutive weeks. Residents must submit birth certificates for their children at the time of registration.

The pool opens weekends beginning May 26 and fulltime in late June.