Little Park in East Freehold a Hidden Gem

For those of us who grew up in urban settings, the local neighborhood park was the place to go to meet your friends and enjoy a beautiful day.

There is a small  one on East Freehold Road  whose prominent sign says "Whittier Oaks Park." The park is situated right before or after Robertsville Road, depending on the direction you approach it. The park is reminiscent of those urban sanctuaries where children played while living on the busy streets of Brooklyn or Newark.

On a beautiful day, the parking lot that holds approximately 10 cars fills up very early. Mothers take their children to the modern recreational facilities. The swing and slide gym vaguely resembles a futuristic blue rocket ship.  There are always young men playing basketball and with luck, you can even find an open tennis court.  Both courts are pristine, probably assisted by the respect they are given by grateful visitors. 

Shaded and cloistered, Whittier Park is a comfortable place to be when the summer arrives as well. It sits quietly in the midst of private homes. Workmen can be seen sitting in their trucks  eating their lunch while listening to the car radio. There are benches to sit and read as well as tables where one can partake in a picnic lunch under the trees.

The park reminds its occupants of a quieter time before the throngs of people and land developments took us to where we are today in Monmouth County. Some say that if you do not know it’s there, you will drive right by. Nothing points to its existance but a gravel entrance. Freehold has many parks we have heard of and visited. Whittier Oaks Park, open 8 a.m. to dusk, is one of Freehold's best-kept secrets.