Touch 'Em All: Toms River Field Of Dreams Construction Nears

TOMS RIVER, NJ — When Christian Kane set out 2-1/2 years ago to create a place where his son, Gavin, and other children with special needs could have fun, his dream was small. A baseball field that accommodated wheelchairs for two-inning games. A snack stand. A playground and some miniature golf.

Next week, when he and others involved with the Toms River Field of Dreams project sit down with Toms River township officials for a pre-construction meeting, it will be for a facility that will bring multiple fun experiences to people of all ages with special needs, far beyond the initial dream.

"It's for everyone to feel typical," Kane said in a video about the project in May 2017, as fundraising efforts were just getting started. Whether it's children recovering from cancer treatments, adults with cerebral palsy who want to take part in fun activities, or people who are looking for a place to relax, it's for everyone "to play, to be a part of the community."

Construction on the facility is anticipated to begin in mid-August. Once it's complete, the Toms River Field of Dreams will feature a walking path with rehabilitative stations; a temperature-controlled pavilion; complimentary snack shack; courts for basketball, bocce and shuffleboard; a state of the art all-inclusive playground; a quiet corner; rehabilitative fitness stations; a soccer field, a football field, and, most importantly, the baseball field.

"Our hope is to increase awareness of our special needs community and provide an inclusive environment in which all can play and interact together," the website says.

It's a place the Kanes never imagined themselves when Gavin was born. But a car accident in July 2012, where a fully loaded beer truck rear-ended Christian's car with 19-month-old Gavin strapped in his car seat in the back seat as Kane waited to make a left turn into Toms River North — changed all of that.

"I had no idea what a traumatic brain injury was," Kane said in the May 2017 video.

Kane remains a full-time teacher at Toms River North and his efforts on the Field of Dreams are "a full-time job," he said. Meanwhile, his wife, Mary, "gave up her work to make sure Gavin can have a full life. The couple has five other children, and it was seeing their older sons play baseball that pushed them to want a similar experience for Gavin.

Family, work, and the Field of Dreams all lead to very, very busy days in the Kane household, he said.

As the start of construction nears, Kane said the project is near its fundraising goal. Of the $2.2 million cost of the project, more than $2 million has been raised. He is hoping they can raise the remaining $140,000 quickly; the construction is anticipated to be completed in late October or early November.

The fundraising, which started with bagel sales and donation jars, grew into much more, Kane said. Businesses large and small jumped on board. There have been grants and sponsorshipsfrom a variety of local entities, including RWJ Barnabas Foundation, Pine Belt Auto Group, Jersey Mike's, Remax, the Jay & Linda Grunin Foundation, and Ocean Orthopaedic Associates, which has the naming rights to the overall facility. The township leased the land at Bey Lea Park to the group for $1. And as work began in March with NJ Site & Utility Contractors of Jackson donating its time and equipment to clear the trees, the end was in sight.

"We hit a little bit of a lull," Kane said, leaving them about $400,000 shy of the construction costs total. That slowdown was temporary.

Fundraising has sped up again. And a big boost from Toms River native and New York Mets third baseman Todd Frazier has helped them turn the corner for home.

Frazier, who lent his voice and support to the Field of Dreams it in the early stages, in late July donated $50,000 to the project, making the presentation at the July 27 Mets game.

"It was a huge boost," Kane said Monday. Not just because of the amount, but because Frazier's presentation of the check at the game led to more media exposure: A New York Post article that reached another audience.

Two days later, the Blavatnik Family Foundation donated $50,000 to the cause. And on Monday, Christian Kane and board members of Toms River Field of Dreams accepted a $20,000 donation from the OceanFirst Foundation.

He's hoping they can reach home plate with one last effort: the sale of home plates that will be used to line the pathway at the entryway at the complex.

"We have 200 of them," and they are $1,000 each. Sponsors can put their business card on them, a dedication, their name, whatever they'd like, Kane said.

And while the impending construction is a sure sign that the goal of building the facility to serve so many has been reached, he's not really ready to reflect on the situation or feel satisfied with it.

"It’ll actually be gratifying when we open the door for the first time," Kane said.

Until then, he just keeps plugging away, looking for sponsors and donors and ways to connect the community, so that kids like Gavin will have a place to feel part of something, not pushed off to the side.

"If this had to happen to someone, it happened to the right family," Kane said of his family's efforts to bring the facility to fruition.

"We're just trying to keep the momentum going," Kane said. "You never know who will hear our story and prompt some person or entity to make a donation or grant."

For information on how to donate, there is a menu of sponsorships, a GoFundme campaign and a capital campaign brochure with more information.

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