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Bellmawr Batting Cages Eyed for Early May Completion

Construction of Bellmawr’s Batting Cages on Essex Avenue continues to progress with the targeted completion date expected to be on or about about May 1, weather permitting. The $564,000 building will include HVAC, but not bathrooms.

Construction of the Bellmawr Batting Cages on Essex Avenue continues to progress and the targeted completion date is on or about May 1, “weather permitting,” stated Bellmawr Borough Administrator, Josh Tregear.

J.H. Williams, Inc. of Moorestown was awarded the $564,000 contract in November, 2016.


Bellmawr News Bellmawr Batting Cages
All photos of the Bellmawr Batting Cages by SJO.

Bellmawr News Bellmawr Batting Cages
Bellmawr News Bellmawr Batting Cages

During Council’s March 23, 2017 meeting, a resident asked if the batting cages would be equipped with running water or bathrooms. To obtain more information, SJO filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) Request.

In response to the ORPA Request, SJO was provided with:

  • The drawings of the building as prepared by Garrison Architects.
  • The contract between the Borough of Bellmawr and the contractor, J.H. Williams of Moorestown.
  • The specifications for the Bellmawr Batting Cages.

The plans show that the building will not be equipped with bathrooms or water plumbing; however, it will have HVAC.

Mayor Filipek pointed out at last month’s meeting that the Little League building has bathrooms and that when the batting cages officially open, they will be a part of the Recreation Department.

For additional clarification, SJO emailed Borough Admistrator Tregear and asked if there will be two bays inside the batting cages and if nets or machines are included.

Tregear responded via email: “There are two bays. There is netting included in the build that can be raised/lowered mechanically. Machines, balls, etc. are ancillary of the project contract, and may be secured separately, possibly through donations, etc.”

Bellmawr Mayor Frank Filipek spoke about the batting cages during Council’s August 29, 2016 meeting by saying that the State of New Jersey is paying for the project “for the property that they took from the Little League.”

In exchange for the land, the Mayor explained that the Borough received the batting cages and a parking lot. “It is going to be an enclosed batting cage. It is not going to cost the taxpayers one cent,” he said.

The documents received in response to the OPRA Request can be viewed by clicking the images below:

One reply on “Bellmawr Batting Cages Eyed for Early May Completion”

What’s the big deal with bathrooms? Anyone playing Bellmawr Little league in the 70-90s remembers practices at the Industrial Park (Before they built the buildings near the 42 entrance), the field at Crescent Park, and Bellmawr Park…none of which had available bathrooms. Why all of a sudden is this a requirement? Plus there ARE bathrooms at the Little League Hall. Granted it’s a bit of a walk for a young kid… but ya have multiple coaches so every once in a blue, a coach has to walk a kid over. Damn millennial parents are ruining this country! 🙂

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