Ocean County is nearing the start of construction on a new park in Manchester Township, following the approval of a permit from the Pinelands Commission. Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines announced, "I am pleased to announce that on Friday, Oct. 11 we received word that the Pinelands Commission unanimously approved our permit for the construction of our County Park in Manchester Township." This approval marks significant progress toward developing a regional park for residents and visitors.
The next step involves obtaining a permit from Soil Conservation, expected within a month. The park project is a collaboration with Manchester Township, which donated approximately 215 acres, while Ocean County purchased an additional 35 acres from both the township and private ownership. The total area of about 250 acres is bordered by Routes 571 and 547 and the railroad.
Commissioner Haines explained that Ridgeway Boulevard divides the land, allowing for one side to focus on active recreation and another on passive settings. "This park will be built in two phases with the first phase focusing on the infrastructure and passive recreation," she said.
The planned amenities include basketball courts, pickleball courts, soccer and baseball fields, playgrounds, trails, picnic pavilions, maintenance facilities, comfort stations, and a physical challenge trail. A second spray park will also be located at this site.
Barbara Jo Crea, Director of the Board of Commissioners, acknowledged the thorough review by the Pinelands Commission: "We are happy, through the diligence of our park staff, that we provided them with everything they needed to successfully secure their approval for this project."
Once completed, this will be Ocean County's 28th park within its system spanning over 4,000 acres. Commissioner Haines expressed enthusiasm about moving forward: "With this park added to the 27 county parks we have, the county will now operate a park in reasonable commuting distance for all residents."
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