Red Bank’s Marine Park Revamp Begins: New Playground, Riverfront Lawn Coming by 2025
Work began at Marine Park this spring, starting an ambitious $4 million renovation that will replace concrete with green spaces and create a modern playground designed for kids of all abilities.
Crews tore up old pavement as the project moved into its next phase. This follows last year’s successful first stage, which relocated parking from the area where Hurricane Sandy wiped out tennis courts in 2012.
The project calls for removing twelve trees, including four to make room for the new playground. In comments to RedBankGreen.com, Borough manager Jim Gant detailed how they worked with specialists to preserve as many trees as possible while following state guidelines for accessible playgrounds.
Questions arose when early drawings showed different counts of marked trees compared to environmental reports. This grabbed the Shade Tree Committee’s attention.
Committee members backed the project after seeing plans to plant more trees than would be removed. Nancy Facey-Blackwood, a council member, verified their backing. Committee chair Remedios Quiroz successfully fought to place the playground on flat ground, saving more trees.
The improvements will be funded through a combination of grants and borrowed funds. The new playground will include special features to accommodate children of all physical abilities.
Once complete, visitors will see a grassy field in place of the former parking area. This shift from concrete to green space follows similar changes made by other cities nationwide.
