Story and Photos by Patrick Olivero
MIDDLETOWN – Kids, faces sticky with free cotton candy and grinning after a turn on the new slides, were a big part of the community reopening party for Waloo Park, Middletown’s first resident-designed playground.
A DJ kept the groove going at the 9-acre park’s ribbon-cutting last week, which included residents, town officials and two legends from the New York Giants football team.
“This is the first playground and park that we have been able to redo that you, the residents, decided what it was going to look like,” Mayor Tony Perry told the crowd. “We’re going to continue to invest in our parks. We’re going to continue to invest in our open space. We’re going to do it together because that’s what Middletown does.”
Perry’s comments about nicknaming the spruced-up basketball court “Quackies,” – a request from residents that references a nearby deli – drew cheers from the crowd before he called to “cut this ribbon” and “reinvent this community with a new playground and a new park.”
Janet Dellett, Middletown Parks and Recreation director, said Waloo Park, off Main Street in the Port Monmouth section of the township, was identified for an upgrade several years ago as equipment aged and replacement parts be- came increasingly difficult to find. The location of the old playground, coupled with a worn asphalt pad at the park entrance, made a comprehensive refresh the clear choice. With the basketball courts already resurfaced and new back- boards in place, “We wanted to keep the improvements coming,” she said.
To shape the redesign, Dellett partnered with MRC/GameTime, the township’s playground vendor, to brainstorm layouts tailored to the neighborhood. “I don’t want every playground to look the same,” she said. “Instead, I try to design each playground with the character of its neighborhood in mind.” This approach, she added, gives families a unique space nearby and reasons to explore parks across Middletown.
For the final decision, the township invited residents to choose among four options using Zencity, a community engagement platform. It was the first time Middletown tapped the tool for a playground vote, and the response was enthusiastic. “The process went really well and the feedback was excellent,” Dellett said, noting the township expects to use the method again.
Two New York Giants Super Bowl champions, Ottis Anderson and Stephen Baker, helped mark the reopening, posing for photos and signing autographs. “Even though we’re not playing – we played a long time ago – we always give back,” Anderson said. “You don’t have to be a Super Bowl champion or MVP to give back and pay it forward.”
Baker echoed the day’s community spirit: “When they tell you it takes a village to raise kids, this is true. … You guys coming out today showed and said, we are all in it together,” Baker said. “It’s just been a lot of fun for me just to see the smiles on the kids’ faces.”
Perry thanked Middletown’s police, fire, parks and recreation staff, public works team and township administrator, along with Whirl Construction and project lead Jim Davis for delivering the refurbished park on schedule.
As families tested the new features and pickup games broke out on the courts, the reopening felt less like a ceremony and more like a neighborhood reunion – exactly the intent behind the resident-driven process.
Next up, Dellett said the township is designing a woodland-inspired playground for Dorsett Park, weaving features around existing trees to reflect the forest setting. It will also include the refurbishment of the tennis courts and improvements to the perimeter walking path, building on recent upgrades to the basketball courts. If all goes as planned, construction is slated for 2026.
The article originally appeared in the October 2 – October 8, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
