By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – What looks like a freezing playground on the bank of the now icy Navesink River will soon be a place for climbing, sliding and gathering in the spring as Marine Park redevelopment advances, with significant infrastructure work already finished.
“The goal is to create a destination park, not only for our residents, to finally have the playground they deserve, but also to attract people from the surrounding area and support our downtown businesses.” said Kate Triggiano, deputy mayor of Red Bank, one of the strongest proponents for the revitalization of the park, which was damaged during Super Storm Sandy.
According to borough administrator Jim Gant, demolition, site preparation and remediation, drainage improvements and electrical upgrades are all complete. The project also includes foundational work for a new, fully ADA-accessible playground and park layout, including curbing and masonry wall construction.
A significant part of the project involved relocating municipal parking away from the immediate waterfront zone, allowing the borough to convert the former lot into approximately 28,000 square feet of new green space.
“By relocating parking away from the river’s edge, the borough has been able to reclaim and convert the former lot into 28,000 square feet of new green space,” Gant said. “This expanded lawn area will be programmed for future events, performances and open recreational use, dramatically improving public access to the waterfront.”
Future landscaping plans call for the planting of more than 50 new trees, along with new shrubs, native plantings and pollinator gardens to improve environmental health and long-term ecological vitality, Gant said.
“Marine Park has been moving steadily through its construction phases, and we’re pleased with the visible progress to date,” he said.
“The quad cube slide is up and is a sight to behold.”
Additional features planned for Marine Park include a band shell, a covered pergola by the marina and a new entrance at the top of the park, which Gant said will help create a more welcoming and cohesive public space.
The new playground at Marine Park is designed by the internationally-renowned Denmark-based company Kompan. It is their “largest project currently on the East Coast,” Triggiano said, noting its inclusive design for children of all abilities. “Our kids lived through a pandemic. It’s going to be such a wonderful, freeing moment to see all area kids enjoy the playground they deserve.”
According to Gant, the borough has secured more than $1 million in grant funding for the project.
The next construction phases will include installing pathways, adding clean fill soil, upgrading outfall pipes with backflow check valves to reduce tidal flooding, and completing amenities, landscaping and final finishing elements.
“Based on the current schedule and contractor reporting,” Gant said, the park should be completed by mid- to late spring.
The article originally appeared in the December 18 – 24, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
