2020 promises to be a very active year for Buena Vista Township. Some projects, which were started in 2019, are now complete; such as the upgrading of LED high efficiency lighting at Michael Debbi Recreational Park in the Richland section of the Township.
In addition, the Township’s $400,000.00 local road program including surveying and designing in 2018 was completed in the Spring of 2019. The roads included Sixth Road in Newtonville, Railroad Boulevard in Richland, Main Avenue and Washington Avenue in Richland.
Another great road project to begin in 2020 comes with a N.J. DOT Road program designated for Chestnut Avenue. The Township received two grants, one for $290,000 for Phase 1 and another for $305,000 for Phase 2. Both of those grants combined will allow the Township to bid out that whole project in the Spring of 2020 and complete the entire length of the Road.
Another project started in 2018 was to remove an old portion of our Public Works building on Union Road in East Vineland. The plans are complete, and the funding is in place for a long-term, low interest loan that will take away the old concrete portion of the building which was built in the 1950’s. The new addition will be built approximately on the same size footing as the original, but will be wider and the same height as the other part of the building. This new addition will allow us to store more equipment indoors, have a better work area for repairs and offices for the management. The funding for this project comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Township is excited to see new or improved commercial retables. The new Tractor Supply company, broke ground in December 2019. It is located on Wheat Road. Existing commercial businesses have remodeled, including Sidelines East Bar & Grill located on Tuckahoe road in Milmay. Richland General Store is now a True Value Hardware store, located across from the Seashore line’s train station on Route 40. Orlandini Tile Supplies remodeled their store, also located on Rt. 40 in Richland. The new Steakouts Homeplate located on Route 54 near the Buena Regional high school, just opened. Richland also sees the addition of Smokeology, which is a family owned BBQ restaurant next to the Post office in Richland.
ServPro of Atlantic City, Hamilton and Hammonton have moved their operations from Berlin to Buena Vista Township on Harding Highway. The Township is excited to see another existing commercial building being used. They are a leader in commercial and residential cleaning and restoration services. They are also hiring, call 609 965 0885.
Buena Vista is also of proud of all our farms and garden centers that have fresh food, flowers, plants, many items, not found anywhere else. Last summer we had a tour of all our farms markets, and are planning another one this spring.
We look forward to working on new projects and investigating available resources that would help maintain our businesses and invite likeminded ones to come give us a look. While we are a smaller community and limited by Pineland regulations, we still try to get everything we need to make life more comfortable for our residents.
By Mayor Teresa Kelly and Township Administrator Lisa Tilton