Town Of Kearny Website

Recreation Department

Ralph A. Cattafi | Director of Parks and Recreation

Ralph A. Cattafi started his career within the Town of Kearny Recreation Department in 1998 and in 2015 he was appointed Director of Parks and Recreation. Ralph attended Kearny High School and continued his education at Kean University graduating with a BA degree in Recreation Administration. Ralph has the following certifications: Rutgers Safety Clinician (Sports Awareness for Education Today’s Youth), Certified Pool Operator, and a member of the New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association and National Recreation Parks Association.
201-955-7983
rcattafi@kearnynj.org
201-955-2379
Town Hall

The Town of Kearny Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for the coordination of recreational sports and cultural programs for all residents of the Town of Kearny. The mission of the Department of Parks and Recreation is to improve the quality of life for our residents through a vast range of recreational programs and the provision of high-quality recreational facilities.

Click below to open forms.

Recreation Department Forms
Application for Ballfields
Application for Coaches and Volunteers
Recreation Program Application

Announcements

The Kearny Recreation Department is in constant need of coaches and volunteers for all programs. All coaches/volunteers are required to submit to a FBI fingerprint and written NJ State Police background check. Please consider volunteering in any of our programs.

Office hours are Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm.

The Kearny Recreation Board of Commission meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Town Council Chambers at 7:00pm.

Registrations can be submitted at the Recreation office 402 Kearny Avenue or on-line at https://register.communitypass.net/townofkearny.

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Recreational Programs

Basketball                                                                                                                                       Open to all boys & girls grades 2 through 8. Registration starts in October.
Practices and games are held at Schuyler, Franklin and Washington Schools.

Cheerleading                                                                                                                                         Open to girls grades 2 through 6. Registration starts in June with tryouts TBA.

Fall Baseball                                                                                                                                 Open to all boys and girls ages 7 through 12. This season runs September through November with registrations in June. Tryouts for all new children will be announced at a later date.

Fall Girls’ Softball                                                                                                                                 Open to all girls’ grades 5 through 8. Registrations start in June. The season runs September to November

Flag Football                                                                                                                                Open to boys and girls ages 4 through 6. The program starts in September with registrations beginning in August.

General Football                                                                                                                          Open to all boys & girls grades 1 to 6. Registrations start in May with the season starting in August with practices.

Girls’ Softball                                                                                                                                    All girls grade Pre-K through 8 are eligible to play. Registrations starts in January. Games are played at Veteran’s Field and Gunnell Oval

Golf Open/Senior Golf                                                                                                           Available to all Kearny residents 21 years of age and older. The Recreation Department will provide a gift card towards the cost of the power carts only. All other fees are golfer’s responsibility. Golf play at Weequahic Park Golf course in Newark or Hendricks Golf course in Belleville.

Karate                                                                                                                                          Open to all boys & girls ages 5 through 15. This 10- week program is offered 3x throughout the school year. Registration is in September, January and April. Classes are at the Hartung Recreation Center.

Little League, Minor League, Tee-Ball Baseball                                                                               We offer Tee-Ball for 5- 6-year-olds, Minor League for 7- 8-year-olds and Little League Baseball for 9 to 12-year-olds. Registration starts in January with Little League tryouts TBA.

Pool                                                                                                                                                 The Open Pool Program is offered all year round. In the Fall and Spring seasons pool is open on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Our Summer season runs Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pool restrictions apply. Badges are required and may be purchased at the recreation office only.

Red Bird Baseball                                                                                                                         Open to all boys and girls in 7th and 8th grade with tryouts to be announced. This is a travel baseball team.

Street Hockey                                                                                                                               Open to all boys and girls ages 5 through 14. All games are played November through December at the Corbett Hockey Rink.

Wrestling                                                                                                                                       Open to boys’ and girls’ grades K to 8. Program starts in November. Practices held at Lincoln Middle School located at 121 Beech Street on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.

Yoga                                                                                                                                               This program will provide instruction in the Art of Yoga. Open to all residents 13 years of age and older. classes are at the Hartung Recreation Center. Registration is in September and January. Our Yoga program is offered on Saturday Mornings

Youth Soccer                                                                                                                             Kearny Youth Soccer Program is open to all boys and girls in grades pre-k to 8. The season begins in September with registrations starting in May and finishing in July.

Special Events

4th of July Firework Celebration

Our 4th of July Celebration is on 4th of July at Veteran’s Field located on Belgrove Drive. Our celebration begins at 6:00 p.m. with various activities and music with our evening being capped off with our Firework extravaganza around 9:10 p.m.
Halloween Parade
The Town of Kearny Halloween Parade is held on the Sunday before or on Halloween at 2:00 p.m. Our Halloween Parade starts at Kearny and Woodland Avenue and travels north along Kearny Avenue towards the reviewing stand located at the Town Hall.

Holiday Celebration

This event is held on the first Saturday in December starting at 12:00 p.m. at Town Hall.  Open to all boys and girls of the Town of Kearny grades Pre-K to 5. Come join us for the Holiday Season with music, and activities prior to Santa arriving to greet to all children.

Recreational Complexes                                                                                                                   Please be advised permits and insurance are required for use of the Town of Kearny Facilities unless otherwise noted.

Archery Range

located at Kearny Riverbank Park on Passaic Avenue near Bergen Avenue. This facility allows for the set-up and practice of bow and arrow target practices. No permit required.

Corbett Street/Roller Hockey Facility

located at Kearny Riverbank Park on Passaic Avenue near Afton Street.

Frank A. Vincent Marina located at Kearny Riverbank Park on Passaic Avenue near Bergen Avenue, allows public to launch and retrieve of boats up to 22’ in length with trailer and hitch.

Gunnell Oval Complex

located at 490 Schuyler Avenue. The complex is home to baseball fields, soccer fields, softball fields, basketball courts, tennis court, volleyball court, playground area and skate park.

Harvey Field Complex  located at 280 Schuyler Avenue. The complex is home to soccer and has a playground area for young children.

Hartung Recreation Center located at 925 Passaic Avenue near Belleville Turnpike. The Hartung Center host various recreational programs such as; Karate, Yoga, and Art

Michael Branin Memorial Soccer Facility

located at Kearny Riverbank Park on Passaic Avenue between Bergen Avenue and Afton Street. This facility is used for practices, soccer games by permit or open play.

Veteran’s Field

located on Belgrove Drive between Bergen Avenue and Afton Street. The complex has little league baseball field, combination football, baseball field and softball field.

Dog Park & Playground Complexes -no permit is required for use.

Dog Park located in the Kearny Riverbank Park between Park Avenue & S. Midland Avenue

Donald Scott Memorial Playground located on Belgrove Drive & Park Avenue.

Bell Playground located on Stewart Avenue between Chestnut Street & Devon Street.

Deans Park located on the corners of Elm Street & Columbia Avenue.

Coogan Playground (manor park) located on W. Bennett Avenue between Hamilton Avenue & Jefferson Avenue

Dowd Playground located on Devon Terrace & Hoyt Street between Davis Avenue & Devon Street.

Miglin Playground located on the corner of Johnston Avenue & Sheridan Avenue.

Pettigrew Playground located on the corner of Highland Avenue & Woodland Avenue.

Rogers Playground located on the corner of Hickory Street & Oakwood Avenue.

Tappan Playground located on Tappan Street between Davis Avenue & Devon Street.

Windsor/Grove Playground located on the corner of Windsor & Grove Streets.

Dog Park and playgrounds are open 9:00 a.m. to Sunset. Please be advised on inclement weather days the Dog Park & playgrounds may be closed.

Parklands

Arlington Depot Park

located on Garafola Place between Elm & Forest Streets.

Al Stewart Ecology Park

located on the east side of Passaic Avenue near South Midland Avenue.

Kearny Riverbank Park

located on the west side of Passaic Avenue between Bergen Avenue & Belleville Turnpike. Listed below are sections of Riverbank Park dedicated to many dignitaries and veterans:

  • Christopher Columbus Park.
  • Irish Heritage Park –dedicated to Reverend Monsignor Joseph A. Carroll
  • Centennial Orchard Park
  • Frank M. Cardoza Park
  • Keating Cove – dedicated to Bernard J. Keating
  • Chantilly Park— dedicated to the memory of the Battle of Chantilly
  • Wallace Glen— dedicated to Sir William Wallace and Councilman David A. Wallace
  • Joseph M. Healey – dedicated to the former Mayor & Councilman
  • Daniel T. Sansone—dedicated to the former Mayor & Councilman
  • Henry J. Hill—dedicated to the former Mayor & Councilman
  • Norman A. Doyle— dedicated to the former Councilman.
  • Veteran’s Memorial Park—dedicated to all Veterans.

Memorial Park

located on Kearny Avenue & Beech St. near Quincy Avenue.

Town Hall Bi-Centennial Park

located on Kearny Avenue next to Town Hall.

Washington Park

located on Washington Avenue and Washington Place.

Park permits for events are required for all most park locations at the recreation office.

Registration Fees

The following programs required the following $50.00 fee:

  • Baseball including tee Ball, Minor League, Little League and Senior Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Fall Baseball
  • Fall Girls Softball
  • Flag Football
  • Generals Football
  • Girls’ Softball
  • Street Hockey
  • Wrestling
  • Youth Soccer

The following programs required fees are:

  • Golf $10.00 for seniors and $20.00 for all adults 21 to 61.
  • Karate 10-week session for $55.00
  • Pool wrist bands yearly fee:
    • ages 0 to 12 =$20.00
    • ages 13 to 61 = $30.00
    • seniors 61 & older = $10.00
  • Summer All Day Program
    • $150.00 per week per child
  • Yoga class 8-week session
    • $50.00

Staff

Ralph A. Cattafi, Director of Parks and Recreation

RECREATION COMMISSIONERS

Lyla DeCastro Lawdanski, Chairwoman
Lewis Battista, Vice Chairman

Juan Irizarry

Joanne O’Malley
Colleen McClelland
Kevin McKenna
Claudia Santos,

James Franchino, Alternate
Lisa Levchak, Alternate

Recreation Council Committee

Councilman Richard Konopka | Council Committee Chair
Councilwoman Eileen Eckel

Recreation Commission Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesdays of each month starting at 7:00 PM.
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