Long Branch, Eatontown Parks Get State Grants

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth County recently awarded a total $3.47 million in grants to parks in 23 towns through the 2020 round of the Municipal Open Space Grant program.

In Long Branch, $40,000 was given for the ongoing "beautification" work around Lake Takanassee. In Eatontown, $50,000 was given to make improvements to Wampum Park and make the park ADA (wheelchair) accessible.

The town of West Long Branch was given the most: $175,000 for improvements to Owen Farm, Franklin Lake, Sorrentino and Ronan Shirvanian Park. The improvements were unspecified.

Tinton Falls was given $127,000 to make dog park improvements to Liberty Park.

These are grants from the state of New Jersey and the county.

The Municipal Open Space Grant program is sponsored by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and is the primary method in which the county assists local recreation departments. This program provides vital funding to municipalities in order to meet needs relating to open space acquisition, recreation and historic conservation.

This year, a total of 31 applications were received requesting a total of $5,469,000. Another $2 million in grant funds, combined with $1.47 million of redistributed grant funds, allowed the county to award a total of $3.47 million in grant funding.