By Stephen Appezzato
OCEANPORT – So far, the borough council’s vision of transforming the Maria Gatta Community Park into a thriving youth sports hub is a success, providing the town with a steady stream of income while offering Oceanport sports teams a state-of-the-art facility.
Located on Port Au Peck Avenue across from Monmouth Park, the park was once a sprawl of worn-down grass soccer fields. Now, the turfed outdoor sports complex is a successful income driver for the borough, generating more funds than the town’s annual debt service on the park project.
According to the borough, last year the park generated close to $500,000 in gross revenue in rent from travel sports teams and tournaments. Deducting Oceanport’s $240,000 annual debt service on the park, that rent generated about $260,000 in new borough revenue in 2024.
“We felt that this would be a tremendous economic driver on top of being just a state-of-the-art sports complex for our youth,” said Mayor Thomas Tvrdik. “The field use fees cover the bond, and then some, which allows us to take that money from open space, fix up other parks, fix up our senior center, (and) do improvements throughout town,” he added.
Oceanport’s youth sports teams do not pay field use fees at the park, as outside revenue is more than enough to pay for the ongoing park renovation. The park, named after former Oceanport Mayor Maria Gatta, who years ago successfully negotiated the purchase of the property from Monmouth Park, also helps boost downtown businesses during sports seasons, Tvrdik said.
“The tournaments that are coming in from all over the country, whether it’s soccer, hockey or lacrosse, are impacting our downtown, giving them (businesses) the boost they need,” he said. “We could have 1,000 people come and visit on any given weekend, coming in for a two- (or) three-day tournament, and then leaving, and they’re utilizing local businesses. As they do this year over year, learning the area, they’re seeing what’s there so they come back the following year.”
For most of 2024, the park had only temporary lighting. In September, permanent LED lighting was installed, concluding the third phase of the park project, which cost just under $1 million. According to Tvrdik, about $550,000 came from Oceanport’s Open Space account, while the rest was covered by a county grant. Funds from the Open Space account were then replenished from sports wagering revenue generated at Monmouth Park.
“We were able to do the lighting project with a county grant and the sports book money, essentially not using open space (funds), not using taxpayer money to put this project together,” Tvrdik said.
After a preliminary engineering and design phase, turf, drainage and other improvements were installed at the park during the approximately $3 million second phase of the project, which Oceanport bonded for.
“In today’s climate, with interest rates the way they are and material costs, we probably wouldn’t be able to have done this project at all, let alone as cheap as we did a the time,” Tvrdik noted.
Later this year, the fourth and final phase of the park, which includes the construction of a bathroom facility, locker room and parking improvements, will go out to bid. Already, the Maria Gatta Park is exceeding the council’s initial expectations, thanks to council members William Deerin, Michael O’Brien and Bryan Keeshen, who the mayor said spearheaded the initiative.
As the years-long park overhaul nears completion, and with Monmouth Park’s plan to construct a hotel, sports amenities and an age-restricted development on the horizon, Tvrdik foresees the section of town becoming a thriving youth sports hub on the East Coast.
In other news, the borough is looking to acquire 40 acres of undeveloped land for use as a passive park, which may be partially or mostly funded with a county grant.
The article originally appeared in the February 6 – 12, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
