Brick's Bayside Park On NJ's $100M Park Investment List

BRICK, NJ — Bayside Park on Route 35 is one of nearly 50 municipal parks slated to receive money from the state under a $100 million proposed investment announced Wednesday by state officials.

The $100 million proposal is pending final approval by the Garden State Preservation Trust. It "would establish new parks and expand existing ones, develop athletic fields and playgrounds, improve access to waterways, create open spaces, build flood resilience, and enhance stewardship by restoring lands for nature and public enjoyment," state officials said in a news release.

The money to be allocated for Bayside Park, on Route 35 south across from Brick Beach III, would finish the third phase of the park, state officials said. It would add playground equipment and safety surfacing, shade structures, fish bait cleaning stations and safety ladders, walkways, lighting, utilities, irrigation, security improvements, landscaping and parking lot work.

For this round of Green Acres funding, applicants "were encouraged to develop projects that anticipate and address climate change impacts, advance long-term resilience goals, provide equitable and meaningful public access, and maximize social, environmental and health benefits to the public," state officials said.

The Garden State Preservation Trust will consider the following recommended allocations:

• $42.2 million in grants and loans for 49 park development projects in urban, suburban and rural communities. Nearly 84 percent of these funds are for local park development projects and land acquisitions in municipalities with overburdened communities;
• $35.8 million in grants and loans for 57 county and municipal land acquisitions projects;
• $8.8 million for acquisition projects by 14 nonprofit organizations;
• $4.9 million for park development projects by 11 nonprofit organizations;
• $2.3 million for 10 local stewardship projects; and,
• $901,000 for six nonprofit stewardship projects.

The Garden State Preservation Trust will forward its final recommendations to the Legislature for funding approval.

Other funding allocations include:

• $54.5 million for improvements to state parks, forests and wildlife management areas;
• $38.4 million for the state to acquire and preserve open space;
• $6 million in the FY21 and FY22 budgets for land acquisition, park development, and historic preservation projects in overburdened communities, through a new Urban Parks initiative to promote environmental equity. Eligible communities were invited to apply for funding and 13 will receive grants;
• $4.6 million for the Blue Acres Buyout Program to purchase flood-prone properties.

"The proposed projects will provide equitable and meaningful access to urban parks, help address the impacts of climate change, and advance our long-term resilience goals," Gov. Phil Murphy said in the announcement.

"From our incredible Green Acres investments in local parks, to our historic investments in the restoration of natural resources throughout the state, including at Liberty State Park, our Administration has put its money where its heart is," said Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

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