This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Spring Lake Heights Asks County for $182,000 For Parks

Ocean Road Park and Allaire Road Park would see improvements

Though the tennis courts at Ocean Road Park attract both locals and visitors, Councilman Richard Diver knows all too well that they need an extreme makeover.

When Diver, who chairs the borough's recreation committee, heard Monday night that Code and Zoning Official Joseph May would apply to the Monmouth County Open Space Program for funding to remodel the courts, he showed unending gratitute.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Diver said. "If there's anything you can do to improve the tennis courts, we'll be most appreciative."

Find out what's happening in Manasquan-Belmarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The council later unanimously agreed to allow May to apply to the county fund for $182,500 to be used for an estimated $375,000 in improvements at both Ocean Road and Allaire Road parks.

As required by the program's policies and procedures, the borough will match the county funds through its own resources, which could include using any state grants it receives according to Mayor Frances Enright.

Find out what's happening in Manasquan-Belmarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Although the council had earlier considered borrowing money from through a capital improvements bond ordinance to improve Ocean Road Park, the borough's bond counsel suggested contacting the county instead, the mayor explained during Monday night's council meeting.

"Our bond counsel has advised us not bond [for Ocean Road Park] because county open space funding is available for it," Enright said.

Both parks are borough-owned, but only Ocean Road Park has been designated as a state-protected Green Acres site, May noted.

The Ocean Road tennis courts, last remodeled in 2004, have seen better days due to their popularity, he told the council.

"The tennis courts get a lot of play," May said. "They're in dire need of repair."

Should the borough receive the county funds, May recommends separating the Ocean Road Park tennis courts so that they be further apart and resurfacing them. A fenced-in tot lot to be used by children ages two to five years old would also be installed, he said.

Existing restrooms would also be remodeled to be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant and other repairs would be made to sidewalks and the parking lots, May continued.

At Allaire Road Park, the basketball courts and the tennis courts would be re-aligned to be farther apart from each other and some of the playground equipment would be replaced. Concrete "nature rocks," popular with school-age children could also be added, he added.

"The nature rocks are surrounded by mulch," May said.

Councilman Gavino Maccanico recommended filling in playing fields at Allaire Road Park which often get "soggy, wet, and damp" after rainstorms.

The application to the county open space fund can be amended to include money for improvements to the fields, May replied.

"If the council agrees, we can revise the application to help fill in the ground," he said.

Once the funds are approved, the borough will put the project out to public contract bid, May said.

A $1.43 million borough bond ordinance which included $120,000 for improvements to Ocean Road Park only was voted down by the council due to the lack of a two-thirds majority approval on Aug. 15. A revised 1.3 million bond ordinance tabled by the council on Monday omits that line item.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?