Freehold Borough Recreation Commission members are redefining their mission to provide and support in a cost-effective manner the leisure time activities and facilities that reflect the needs of the community.
JEFF GRANIT staff An open gymnasium at Freehold High School is one program sponsored by the Freehold Borough Recreation Commission. In a game played Nov. 20, Marvin Morris attempts to block a shot by Sterry Codrington. The recreation commission is soliciting ideas from residents for additional programs they would like to see offered in the borough. The commission’s vice chairwoman, Lynn Reich, said the members have determined that in order to best serve the community, they must understand the needs of residents.
Freehold Borough is home to more than 11,000 people.
“We have long relied on unsolicited feedback, the guidance of commission members and the Borough Council to set the tone for the programs we support and provide. Now we need input from the community to guide us into the future,” Reich said in an interview with the News Transcript.
Commission members attended a workshop in August in order to strategize and to plan future projects. The members decided to survey residents and to solicit feedback on events the commission has already sponsored. Suggestions for new events are also being solicited, Reich said.
The survey was sent directly to property owners as an insert with their water bill. Copies of the survey are also available on Freehold Borough’s Internet Web site www.freeholdboboro.org/recreation.
“We realize that Freehold is a socially and economically diverse, thriving community that deserves to have its recreation needs met and exceeded,” Reich said. “We hope to receive a great deal of participation in the survey to achieve the highest quality result to support our future plans.”
The surveys are due back by Dec. 31.
The survey lists events and programs that the commission has sponsored, including the Colonial Basketball League, Little League baseball, the YMCA summer recreation program, the Court Street School dance class, open gym at Freehold High School, and the Halloween Spooktacular. Also included in the list of events and programs is the senior citizens concert, the Battle of the Bands, the Hispanic Baseball League and the Liberty Street Family Fun Day.
The latest event was a town-wide yard sale on Oct. 11 in which 125 families set up a yard sale. That event was supported by eight local businesses and the Freehold Center Partnership.
The concept for a town-wide yard sale came from commission member Jeff Surgent, who said he had seen the concept in Woodbridge and Metuchen and thought it could work in Freehold.
Surgent said the town-wide yard sale was very successful and said commission members were very happy with the response from residents.
“Overall, a lot of thought went into the event and it went off pretty well,” he said, adding that he is looking forward to working on new ideas for the commission.
“We are constantly in the shadow of Freehold Township and we don’t have their budget,” Surgent said. “We’re the hole in the donut (Freehold Borough is completely surrounded by Freehold Township). We have a limited budget and we try to use all of our dollars very wisely. We are frugal, but we try to provide things that benefit the community.”
Also planned for the coming year is a jazz concert to be held on the lawn of Monument Park, Monument Street.
“We are encouraging participation and interest from residents,” Surgent said. “This is the first time we are asking for the community’s input. We encourage all interested people to give us their suggestions and ideas for future Recreation Commission events.”
Calling the commission an umbrella organization, Reich said it supports other groups, including the YMCA summer recreation program, the Colonial Basketball League and a new flag football league. She said the commission also sponsors an annual holiday decorating contest.
Reich and Surgent are joined on the Recreation Commission by Chairwoman SherylMott, Bob Bennett and Robert “Peanut” Holloway. There are currently two vacancies on the commission and interested residents are asked to consider volunteering. The commission meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month.
“All borough residents are welcome to attend all meetings to observe or to become involved,” Reich said.