No Injuries or SummonsesĪl Kessner, president of the All County Radio-Controlled Airplane Club, denies this, pointing out that the park rule against flying the aircraft over the fields when they are being used had already been a club rule. "Almost all of the pilots fly over the fields when children are present," he said. Wilcenski said, complaints have doubled to at least seven or eight a day. Residents say the clubs' members fly their planes over their homes and over the soccer fields, endangering families and players. Meanwhile, the number of airplane clubs has grown from one to four, with a total membership of 160. Over the last five years, said Tony Wilcenski, director of recreation for Monroe Township, his office has seen a 40 percent growth in the number of soccer players. The first soccer field was set up on the site of the clubs' 30-acre fly zone in the late 1970's and is now used by Monroe Township High School, which is directly across the street from the fly zone. "The problem here," said Stephen Dalina, chairman of the Freeholders' parks committee, "is that the popularity of the clubs grew at a time when soccer was becoming as popular as Little League." But the parties to the controversy - residents, club officers and town officials - offer differing views of the situation. The Freeholders have been studying ways to alleviate the problem, including the relocation of the airfield to another site, and a decision is expected this month. The residents contend that the operation of the planes in the park, which is owned and operated by the county, is producing unacceptable noise levels - and threatening the safety of youngsters playing on nearby soccer fields. Weather permitting, dozens of members of four radio-controlled airplane clubs show up each day at Thompson Park in an area set apart for the hobby nearly 25 years ago.īut in recent months, the long-simmering discontent of some neighbors has erupted in complaints to the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
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