FREEHOLD — One of the provisions of Freehold Borough’s new revitalization plan — to build a parking structure — does not sit well with at least one resident.
The Borough Council recently adopted an ordinance which puts into place the Freehold Center Core Revitalization Redevelopment Plan. The document is a blueprint for the revitalization of the downtown bordered by Throckmorton and South streets, Spring, Broad and Lafayette streets and Mechanic and Hudson streets.
During the Dec. 2 meeting resident Tom Baldwin told council members he was not happy with the idea of a parking garage.
“We don’t need it, pure and simple,” Baldwin said. “We have ample parking downtown. Why you would contemplate building a parking garage that is ugly, with no way to conceal it, is beyond my comprehension. It’s a big waste of taxpayers money. There won’t be enough money to build it anyhow.”
Baldwin said that paying to park would be another form of taxation.
“Please cut your losses and abandon this idea. Give the money to the first aid squad or to someone else in need,” he told the council.
Resident Leroy La Barrie disagreed with Baldwin and said, “If you’re thinking that Freehold has adequate parking you’re thinking of the borough with empty stores. The town needs a parking garage when the revitalization takes place. I remember when a parking garage was proposed years ago. If they had done that then, we’d be the mall.”
His reference was to the Freehold RacewayMall in neighboring Freehold Township.
La Barrie said it would make sense to charge people to park in a parking structure.
“Right now no one pays. That’s the problem. People are there all day and no one pays,” he said.
Councilman Kevin Kane told Baldwin that surface parking is a thing of the past.
“Freehold Borough has something that towns surrounding us want — a Main Street,” Kane said. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. With their new addition, the mall has tried to create what we have here — their own Main Street downtown.”
Kane said Richard Gatto, the chief executive officer of the Freehold Center Partnership, has “worked hard to enhance the downtown.”
The partnership oversees activities and events in the borough’s downtown.
Addressing Baldwin, Kane said, “It will be a parking structure, not a parking garage.”
Councilman George Schnurr said, “We approved a revitalization plan that includes lots of different things, including the rezoning of the downtown. There are many components of the plan. The parking structure may be one of them.”
Councilman Marc Le Vine said he was excited about the revitalization plan, but went on to say, “I feel there is one missing component. There is not enough input as to what people want to see in our downtown. We’re all guilty of this. We don’t go downtown enough. When you come downtown you’re pleasantly surprised at what is there.”
He said although it is important to attract people from outside the borough to town, it may be more important to have residents frequent the downtown. Le Vine referred to the possibility of having more retail operations downtown and also having a pedestrian plaza to host different activities for residents.
Le Vine said additional parking will be needed when the American Hotel, which is undergoing redevelopment, reopens and begins to host large events.
“We will have a hard time finding parking then. We need to plan parking for the future because we will need it as Freehold Borough expands. We need your input,” Le Vine said to residents. “Tell us what you want to see in the downtown.”