LAKEHURST – Officials shared plans for an all-new, inclusive playground at Lake Horicon Park during the latest Borough Council meeting.
The session featured renderings of the project, a Community Engagement Report, a New Jersey Green Acres Program Park Development Grant Application, a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection application for an environmental impact assessment and a Green Acres tree report.
Councilman Robert McCarthy explained “we are pursuing a Green Acres grant for an inclusive playground. What is currently there is not acceptable in any capacity.”
“It is a state funded grant. The top figure is $700,000 which we would have to match. It could be $500,000 or half that but at zero percent interest. The process is lengthy,” McCarthy added.
The project site lies within the single family residential (R-1) Zone, and the adjacent properties along Lake Street and Church Street are within the single family residential (R-1) Zone. The playground is surrounded by a parking lot that is used for both the Lake Horicon Beach and the Lake Horicon Playground.
Public Comments
A Community Engagement Report summarized 54 responses of a public engagement survey conducted last month.
The data reveals an urgent community need for accessible and modernized recreation facilities, with overwhelming support for the Borough’s proposed concept plan. Based on the report, 74% of survey respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the current playground equipment, citing safety, age, and lack of accessibility as primary concerns.
When asked what features they would most like to see, the community’s top choice was updated playground equipment, followed by improved seating and restrooms. The analysis showed significant gaps across multiple amenities. Playground equipment showed the highest level of dissatisfaction, identifying it as the priority for capital investment.
Respondents noted the following in their feedback: “I believe the updated playground would be beautiful.” “A much-needed project!” “I feel it would be a benefit to our small but young and thriving community.” “Excited for the kids of the town to have a better public playground available.” “Love the idea of the park being revamped!” and “I think it is great. We take my son to the park all the time. It is very out dated.”
Environmental Impact
The Environmental Impact Assessment for the playground development submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Land Resource Protection was prepared by Remington & Vernick Engineers.
The Borough proposes to develop a completely inclusive playground at Lake Horicon Park that will replace the existing playground – which is currently surfaced with uneven, non-compliant wood chip mulch – with a modern, barrier-free facility.
The new design replaces the mulch with Rubber Recycle unitary surfacing which is better for wheelchairs and mobility devices. Key features include sensory play alcoves, accessible towers/ramps, and shade structures. To accommodate the expanded, accessible footprint and necessary grading, approximately five trees will be removed.
What Has To Be Done?
This project will be completed in a single phase and involves the demolition of existing equipment, removal of the wood chip surfacing, clearing of approximately five trees, site grading, installation of drainage improvements, construction of the inclusive playground, and final landscaping.
The report notes that adjacent to the site is a pavilion that is used by the residents of Lakehurst for community gatherings and picnics and the proposed use is consistent with the existing land use and will not negatively impact neighbors.
Tova Herskovitz, who is providing grant writing services to the borough, was present for the meeting and six residents spoke during the special meeting public hearing.
William Scibert said “I love this idea, the inclusivity and with sections all about diversity but I sure would love to see swings.”
Councilman McCarthy said cost consideration required the inclusion of swings that were originally part of the plan to be removed from it. “I don’t disagree. Swings become very cost prohibitive very quickly. We are trying to put as much in the space as we can. We are limited in money. It is too cumbersome to add the swings.”
“I was super exited to see this. I want to echo Bill’s comments about the swings,” Patrick McPartlin said.
Herskovitz said it might be possible to add swings in a future phase of the project.
Chloe Page was also happy to see the project happen while resident April Chillemi asked “will we have any cameras or monitoring?”
McCarthy said that was not covered by the grant but conversations about that were happening. “We currently do have cameras by the bathrooms. I am sure accommodations can be made.” He added “we do have a certified playground inspector on staff (of the Borough’s Public Works Department).”
“We won’t know what their portion is and what our portion (of the grant) is until we hear back from the state,” McCarthy added.
