Aberdeen Township Awards Contract For Transformation Of Veterans Memorial Park In Cliffwood Beach

Aberdeen Township has awarded a contract to Precise Construction of Freehold, N.J. for an extensive renovation of Veterans Memorial Park that will transform the Cliffwood Beach site into a recreational facility offering a variety of new amenities for all ages.

According to Don Norbut, special project engineer with T&M Associates, Precise Construction submitted the winning bid of just under $1.90 million, 20% below the original estimated $2.38 million construction cost. Including approximately $120,000 for tot lot equipment that Aberdeen will purchase directly under the State Purchase Contract, the total project will cost approximately $2.02 million, 19% below the original total estimate of $2.5 million. Plans call for work to begin in mid-December, with a grand opening scheduled for July 2017.

“We are very pleased to report that construction on this transformative project will begin this month at a cost well below the original estimate,” said Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini.

Under the plans--which will ultimately be accompanied by a separate reconstruction of the nearby Cliffwood Beach seawall that was damaged during Superstorm Sandy--the park will be turned into a multi-dimensional active and passive recreation area. Major new features will include pirate and tall ship themed playground areas for ages 2-5 and 5-12; a pirate ship themed water park (spray pad) for all ages; a picnic grove with shade structures; a multi-purpose field for little league, softball, and soccer; a kayak and small water craft launch; a gazebo/band shell; a flagpole and War Veteran’s Memorial Monument; and a restroom/equipment storage building.

Additionally, trees, shrubbery and gardens will be added to create an attractive landscaped park setting; existing basketball courts will be upgraded; the parking lot will be resurfaced and additional parking created on the site of the former skate rink; and security lighting and video surveillance will be added. The site will be raised using clean fill in selected locations in an effort to reduce nuisance flooding that has plagued the beachfront.

A portion of the construction costs is being funded through a grant of $250,000 from the Monmouth County Municipal Open Space Grant Program.

The park, which is located at Ocean Blvd. and Lakeshore Dr., currently contains a roller hockey rink, basketball courts, shuffle board courts, volleyball court, and swings.

“This is a very exciting project for Cliffwood Beach and all of Aberdeen,” said Councilman Robert Swindle. “The new park and rebuilt seawall will give residents of all ages multiple reasons to take advantage of this tremendous under-utilized resource on our waterfront. With the bandshell/gazebo, we also look for Veterans Memorial Park to become a site for concerts and other special events.”