With Mall Set For Demolition, East Brunswick Mayor Offers Indoor Walking Alternative

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen suggested residents looking for an indoor walking option amid extreme heat could make use of the town's ice rink complex, addressing complaints from former mall walkers as Brunswick Square Mall moves toward redevelopment.

Speaking on the podcast "The Buzz About East Brunswick," Cohen addressed residents upset that they can no longer walk laps inside the mall.

"Why are we tearing down the mall and not allowing people who are using it to do walkthroughs on the indoor of the mall that opportunity any longer?" Cohen said, noting the mall is private property and its owner can do as he chooses with it.

The township designated Brunswick Square Mall and nine neighboring Route 18 properties as a condemnation redevelopment area last year, with officials planning to transform the aging 1970s-era retail center into a mixed-use development combining retail, housing — including affordable and special-needs units — and possibly a community center. Cohen has said the project remains in early planning stages.

In the meantime, Cohen pointed to the town's ice rink facility as an alternative walking spot. He said a circuit around the two rinks and the upstairs mezzanine, accessible by stairs, covers about a third of a mile, meaning three laps would complete a mile.

"For those folks that are really upset that they don't have a place to do indoor walking, yes, especially as it's 105 degrees," Cohen said, adding he would have welcomed a cool indoor place to walk himself.

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