By Sunayana Prabhu
Two municipalities and two school districts in the Two River area are among the 246 towns and school districts across New Jersey that received state Local Recreation Improvement grants from the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
Sea Bright Borough, the Holmdel Township School District and both the borough and school district in Tinton Falls will receive funds from a total of $19.5 million distributed statewide to support improvements to parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and recreational facilities. The grants, administered by the DCA’s Division of Local Government Services, help municipalities improve their outdoor spaces and recreation opportunities. According to the DCA, this year’s grant cycle saw a surge in first-time applicants, with 95 municipalities or school districts securing awards for the first time.
According to the DCA, grant funds can be used for upgrading community centers, pools, playgrounds, athletic fields, walking and bicycle trails and multisport courts, as well as for professional services like engineering and environmental remediation.
All grants are reimbursement-based, meaning local governments must complete projects and submit proof of qualifying expenses before receiving payment.
Sea Bright
Sea Bright received $48,000 to support upgrades at the Cecile F. Norton Community Center, including improvements to the gymnasium’s HVAC system, new building signage and the installation of community-driven public art.
“This funding will support the borough’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the Cecile F. Norton Community Center, a vital year-round gathering place for residents to stay active, connect with neighbors, and contribute to the center’s continued evolution,” Mayor Brian Kelly said in an emailed statement.
Holmdel
The Holmdel Township School District has been awarded an $85,000 grant from the DCA. The board of education had identified significant gaps in its 2025 budget, and board officials made their financial challenges known at several public meetings. The grant amount will help the school district cover some costs. Scott Cascone, Ph.D., superintendent of the Holmdel School District, recently proposed a preliminary budget of nearly $72 million with final adop- tion at a public hearing April 30.
Citing the successful grant application, Cascone said in an email that “the purpose of this project is to improve and repair the existing recreational facilities at Village Elementary School to better serve both students and the surround- ing community. The work will focus on enhancing the overall functionality, safety, and aesthetics of the recreation area while promoting physical activity, outdoor play, and community engagement.” Cascone added that the remainder of the project “will be funded by assistance from the Village Parent Student Association (PSA) and funds from the district’s enterprise preschool program.”
TINTON FALLS
The borough and the Tinton Falls School District received $85,000 each in grant funding. The borough plans to use its $85,000 award toward developing the Walz Farm property into a new park.
“We are going to use the money to make that park accessible to the people in our local area,” said Tinton Falls Mayor Risa Clay. The borough is planning to preserve the natural beauty of the park. Clay said residents will be able to visit and enjoy the park and the trails, “but it isn’t going to be necessarily like a traditional playground, but more along the lines of a nature preserve.” “The most significant improvement will be multiuse trails, which would consist of 1.7 miles of natural surface trails to be used by walkers, runners, hikers, bicyclists. And the trails would wind through open fields,” she said.
The borough is also planning to add a large pond naturally stocked with a variety of fish, a fishing platform, a playground, a restroom building and landscaping. “This is going to be a huge addition to the parks that we offer,” said Clay.
The 59.47-acre Walz Farm, located in the southern section of Tinton Falls just north of Shark River Road, was purchased by the borough for open space with the help of several funding sources.
According to Charles Terefenko, the Tinton Falls borough ad- ministrator, the Walz Park project has used significant investments through the borough’s Open Space Trust Fund. The borough purchased the farm property in 2019 for $1,045,000 and later acquired an existing 2.3-acre home property in 2021 for $399,900. Surveying, design and permitting for the proposed improvements cost $168,250, while the full construction of park enhancements – including contract administration and inspection services – is estimated at $2.4 million.
To offset these expenditures, the borough received several grants. A 2018 Monmouth County Open Space Grant contributed $250,000 toward the acquisition of the property. A 2024 Monmouth County Open Space Grant provided $475,000 to support the construction of park improvements. Additionally, the borough has now secured a $85,000 grant through the 2025 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Local Recreation Improvement Grant program to assist with the project.
Information was not available as of press time from the DCA or the local district regarding projects planned for the Tinton Falls school district.
The article originally appeared in the May 22 – 28, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
