Bloomfield Dumps Contractor After Serious Delays At Lion Gate

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield municipal officials have dumped the contractor responsible for overseeing one of the largest infrastructure projects in the town’s recent history.

Since breaking ground on the $13.3 million Lion Gate Municipal Complex in March, the project – which will transform a 18.2-acre brownsfield site into a massive park and recreation complex – has been lagging significantly behind schedule.

Earlier this week, Bloomfield officials announced the delays have cost Tricon its contract with the township.

Citing “missed deadlines” and “repeated lateness and inaction” on the part of Tricon – the lowest bidder on the project – Bloomfield officials have severed their work agreement and are now seeking a new contractor to finish the job.

The first phase of the project, which was originally expected to be finished by Sept. 1, includes wetland plantings that will need to be done before winter sets in, officials said.

Eventually, the Lion Gate complex will include a multi-use turf field, a children’s park and walking paths along Third River, as well as a maintenance building, concession stand and an Environmental Center. It will also aid in local flood prevention, officials say.

Partial funding for the project comes from a $1.7 million Freshwater Wetlands Mitigation Council grant and a $3 million Passaic River Natural Resources Restoration grant. Funding also came from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres program.

• See related article: Construction Starts On $13M Lion Gate Complex In Bloomfield

According to Bloomfield officials, Tricon pledged to complete the wetlands, a new soccer field, a playground and a parking lot by September. However, by the end of August, the contractor had only finished about 25 percent of the work.

“The township did all we could to keep this project on schedule, but unfortunately due to the contractor’s repeated lateness and inaction, we needed to terminate the contract as a last resort,” Township Administrator Matthew Watkins said.

“Our contract with Tricon had a start and end date,” Watkins continued. “The end date was established as September 2019. When the contractor fell behind schedule, we gave leeway and offered to extend allowable working hours to weeknights and weekends so the contractor could catch up, but it became obvious that Tricon could not complete the project on time and in satisfaction with the township’s priorities.”

Ultimately, severing the contract was in the “best interests of Bloomfield residents,” Watkins said.

Bloomfield town officials said they are confident that they can find a new contractor and compete the project by the summer of 2020.

• See related article: N.J. Court Strikes Down $10M Bloomfield Bond Ordinance
• See related article: Residents Concerned About Overcrowding, Flooding At Lion Gate

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