TOMS RIVER – An open area of Castle Park is the proposed site of a skate park that could be operational next year, township officials said.
Castle Park, centrally located in the township, is at the corner of North Bay Avenue and Oak Avenue. There’s a piece of land, about 150 feet by 100 feet, that is next to the younger kids’ playground. This will be the site for the skate park, township engineer Robert Chankalian said.
Township officials had been meeting with parents for a little while now, getting input from them about the needs for the facility.
After a recent meeting, parents were excited to learn that the township was officially putting the skate park in its capital funding program for recreation.
“It shows that the Toms River Council supports its residents and children, to be active and outside enjoying our beautiful town,” local resident Jennifer Luyster said.
The contract was awarded to CME Associates, to assist the township with the design of the Toms River Skate Park for an amount not to exceed $47,500. The physical construction of the park is estimated to cost about $300,000, business administrator Don Guardian said.
At a recent meeting, one of those parents, Anthony Devecka, asked about fundraising to help fund the creation of the park. He was informed that the funding was put in a bond ordinance.
While fundraising for amenities at a skate park was welcome, township officials wanted to first determine how to make it legal.
