Contributions Help Transform Lakehurst Police Department Landscaping

Those driving by the headquarters may have noticed a transformation in recent days, as contributions from local businesses and officers have given the 

"It looks 10 times better. It's a reflection of not only the borough, but for the police department itself," said Sgt. Brian Baranyay. "The guys are proud of their building inside and out."

The restoration project began in late-April and took about three weeks to complete, Baranyay said. 

Located near the Eisenhower Circle, travellers heading east pass by the department headquarters whether they continue on Route 70 or take Union Avenue through the borough's downtown. 

"This building is right on the main strip, so people on their way to the shore will see it," Baranyay said. "It's good for people to see as they pass through town." 

Though the building is a few years old — the police department moved out of the downtown Borough Hall to its own facility — the plants and grass always had a difficult time staying alive.

"There was no irrigation out here, so it never grew," Baranyay said. "There's no shade, and with the sun out here, it never grew."

The Lakehurst Police Association donated the funding for the sod and officers volunteered their time to plant the greenery. Some residents also came out to help, Baranyay said, and top soil came from Lakehurst's Department of Public Works.

"It's a huge morale booster," said Officer Matthew Kline.

Those who contributed to the project were I&G Farms, John Hickey landscaping, Infante Sod Farms and the Lakehurst Volunteer Fire Company.

"It's always nice to give back," said John Kohler of Sprinklers Sales and Service, which donated an in-ground irrigation system to keep the freshly-planted sod healthy. "It looks great. It's been so hot out and we don't see one brown spot."

Kohler said that the business, which services commercial and residential clients, tries to participate in a community project about once each year, "when the economy lets us."