By Gloria Stravelli
MONMOUTH COUNTY – Conserving an open expanse of green along the riverfront in Sea Bright and revitalizing a wooded urban park in Long Branch are projects the Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF) is currently supporting to provide residents access to recreational spaces that can be scarce, particularly in developed towns and urban settings.
What’s more, according to advocates, these open spaces provide needed respite from the isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Park projects are taking shape through Neighborhood Parks Matter, an initiative of the foundation, in partnership with local towns and interested groups, to preserve open recreational spaces and, in some cases, provide residents who do not have their own backyard or outdoor space with access to parks within walking distance of their homes.
According to Amanda Brockwell, deputy executive director of the Middletown-based foundation, the parks fulfill what the MCF sees as a societal imperative: Access to safe outdoor spaces as a “basic human right.”
Best known for open space and farmland conservation since its founding 44 years ago, the MCF, according to William D. Kastning, executive director, is currently working with local towns, community groups, and county and state partners to create and revitalize neighborhood parks to meet the needs of residents for access to outdoor recreational space.
The goal is to ensure that everyone has access to safe outdoor spaces – ideally within walking distance of their homes, explained Brockwell.
Conserving open spaces and creating and revitalizing neighborhood parks are high on the priority list of MCF and the need for these oases has become more important due to the curtailment of social interaction during the pandemic, she said.
Along the Shrewsbury River, a sign posted on the 1-acre strip of green announces plans for Shrewsbury Riverfront Park. The vacant parcel was formerly the site of the Anchorage apartment complex, which was washed away during Super Storm Sandy.
The Borough of SeaBright wants the site to remain as public open space to provide public access to the riverfront and is partnering with the MCF to transform the parcel into a public park.
“Sea Bright wanted it to remain open space with access to the river,” explained Kastning, who was appointed executive director in 2012. “The Monmouth Conservation Foundation and Sea Bright have joined forces to transform the land into a park and fundraising continues.”
Surrounded by private beach clubs and homes, the park is the sole public space along the riverfront and will provide access to the river, a space for fishing and passive enjoyment, according to the MCF website.
The first phase of the project is a collaboration involving Sea Bright, the state Department of Environmental Protection Blue Acres program and the MCF, with the foundation raising $105,000 toward the project to date.
Progress is underway at the park and 2021 will bring more park improvements as fundraising continues. “We’re now working on Phase II,” Kastning said.
The second phase of improvements will include a shaded patio space, fish cleaning station for the fishing community in the area, and walkways for passive enjoyment of the beautiful riverfront views and ocean breezes.
Another MCF project is at Jackson Woods Park in the north end of Long Branch, which is being revitalized through a partnership among the city, community advocates and the foundation.
The 13-acre wooded urban park is situated close by apartments, a school and the oceanfront. According to the MCF website, the park had fallen into disrepair and residents turned to the foundation for help.
Plans include a new gazebo, landscaped beds and a parking area. Work during this year will include upgrading trails, planting a butterfly garden, installing sculptures and securi- ty lighting – and funds are needed to support the initiative.
Jackson Woods Park, according to the MCF, is an “oasis of green for underprivileged families who cannot access open spaces.”
“Saving as many properties as possible remains the focus but we are diversifying to other things, including urban parks,” explained Kastning, citing the enduring influence of the late Judith Stanley Coleman, co-founder, along with Michael Huber, of the foundation.
“Judy grew up in Asbury Park so she pulled the Monmouth Conservation Foundation into projects in Asbury Park years ago,” he said. “So there is a longstanding history. She always paid back to the community she cared about. She was dedicated to seeing the Springwood Avenue Park become a reality.”
He continued, “We had never done a park project and we were approached. Asbury Park was always a primary focus for a park and we were involved in a highly successful project.”
The Springwood Avenue Park on the west side of Asbury Park was a partnership among the MCF, Monmouth County, the City of Asbury Park and Interfaith Neighbors. Opened in 2016, the 1.3-acre project was the first city-owned and city-maintained park established on the West Side and supported the redevelopment of the Springwood Avenue Redevelopment Area.
“That’s what it’s all about, is kids being introduced to nature,” Kastning said. That project “had a lasting impression and really fuels us to move forward with this work – especially with the pandemic,” he added.
“More importantly, how many people have we served?” Kastning said. “Nationwide the aim is to have parks within a 10-minute walk of where people live.
“It’s an aspirational goal.”
Kastning also revealed that the MCF is working with a Red Bank group on a park “that may come to fruition within the next decade.” He said the foundation is facilitating sessions with local residents.
The foundation’s role varies with the needs of each project, he noted. “It depends on the needs of the community. Every town is different.”
According to the website, monmouthconservation.org, “Monmouth Conservation Foundation’s overarching mission is to create a permanent legacy of open space and to protect the natural habitat and wildlife throughout the county for our generation and future generations.”
This article originally appeared in the Feb. 18, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
