Red Bank residents are at the forefront of innovation for the re-design of Marine Park.
Community officials and local residents gathered at the Red Bank Senior Center on May 2 when they discussed three conceptual designs provided by Kimley Horn.
The designs portray compilations of the features residents said that they want to see in Marine Park.
Marine Park has been dubbed the “gem” of Red Bank. The park offers picturesque views of the Navesink River and is an idealistic location for events and water recreation, according to the borough officials.
Kimley Horn, the premier planning and design consultant firm hired to redevelop Marine Park, is seeking public input throughout the design process, according to the borough officials.
Prior to the meeting on May 2, Red Bank recreation director Charlie Hoffman said improvements to Marine Park’s infrastructure have been completed.
He reported that electricity has been restored, the pump station has been revitalized and the installation of new restroom facilities have been implemented at the scenic location.
“We want to do something similar to what we did to Riverside Gardens in the late 90s. We wanted to have someone come in, facilitate discussion with the town and figure out what the best way is to maximize Marine Park is. This park is such as perfect asset for us. We want to make sure we do with it what the community wants and make it as efficient as possible,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman said the first meeting, which was held in April when the residents introduced their features and ideas, drew a crowd of 100.
This May 2 gathering attracted about two dozen officials and residents.
In addition to local input, Hoffman said he received 100 conceptual surveys from Red Bank locals. The surveys outline the features residents said they want to see included in Marine Park, he said.
The Kimley Horn landscape architect, Scott Scarfone, presented an accumulation of requests that were most frequently presented by members of the public.
Among a lengthy list of proposed features, the unanimous aspects residents said they want to see included in Marine Park are tennis courts, playground enhancements, plazas, a skate park, additional docks and better sidewalks — among other components.
“We as the design team want to have a clear direction as to which path we will pursue. We also want the town to be sure the park represents the community. We took what we heard and translated that, ” Scarfone said.
Scarfone presented three bubble diagrams to the public. The diagrams represent non-definitive organizational frameworks, he said. The public voted on which design they preferred would best meet the needs of residents. The design proposal that totaled the most votes will be involved in further design contemplation, according to Scarfone.
Members of the public took part in an interactive questionnaire. Residents were able to vote on their individual recreational preferences, types of playground equipment, seating options and water accessiblity, among other design components.
“Inherent in each diagram, there is flexibility to make some changes. After we get feedback from all of the designs, we are going to merge all three designs into one consolidated diagram,” he said.
Residents of the community expressed apprehensiveness about the preconceived expenses the proposals indicate. Scarfone said there are no financial constraints (currently) that could impose limitations on the proposed development plans.
“The town has said, ‘we want to see what the possibilities are,’ regardless of cost,” Scarfone said.
Members of the public continued to voice their concerns to Kimley Horn architects.
Steven Barsolona, a resident of Red Bank, took issue with the proposed addition of parking spaces for construction along the outer edges of Marine Park.
“Most of the people who park there aren’t going to go to the park,” he said.
Barsolona continued to express concern about excessive construction at the scenic location. He said the implementation of tennis courts and a skate park would overshadow Marine Park’s designation as a natural hot spot.
“What I would like to see is people having fun – children playing, people reading books, people enjoying the water. This shouldn’t be secondary,” he said.
Scarfone said meetings with the public will continue until a design that addresses the needs of Red Bank residents is met.
