CENTRAL JERSEY: Freedom Fest organizers say large field eyed for parking

By Joanne Degnan, Staff Writer
   Organizers of the ninth annual Freedom Fest State Fair, which is moving this summer to a more centralized location closer to Allentown, say they are working on a traffic plan with the county that would allow the fair-goers to park their cars in a large field off Route 524 so they can be shuttled to the event.
   The change of venue for this year’s Freedom Fest from the Horse Park of New Jersey to the 22-acre Reed Recreation Park in Upper Freehold has prompted complaints from a few residents of the borough and township who live near Reed park. Some of these residents have brought their concerns about traffic and parking to recent government meetings in both Allentown and Upper Freehold.
   ”The traffic plan we’re working on now puts the majority of the parking in a location that’s away from both towns,” Nick DeMauro, the volunteer president of Freedom Fest, said Sunday, in an effort to allay those concerns.
   ”No roads will be closed, no traffic detours will be used,” Mr. DeMauro said, referring to an earlier idea that would have required county permission to close the Route 526 bypass so the road itself could be used as a parking lot. Closing the bypass is no longer under consideration, Mr. DeMauro said.
   Mr. DeMauro said he is still in talks with the property owner and the county so he could not divulge the exact location of the proposed parking area on Route 524, saying only that it is near Exit 8 of Interstate 195.
   The creation of a second, smaller parking area in the field along the bypass, across the street from the fair, also is being considered, Mr. DeMauro said. The parking area would be illuminated with outdoor portable lighting, he said.
   ”It’s all a work in progress right now,” Mr. DeMauro emphasized. “We’re working out the details now so that come July we will once again be offering an excellent, safe, fun-filled event for people to enjoy.”
   At the April 12 Allentown Borough Council meeting, South Main Street resident Bill Borkowski and a former councilman, Ray Cantor, of Green Way, called on borough officials to be more proactive by sending a letter to the county that puts concerns about traffic, parking and safety on the record.
   Mayor Stuart Fierstein replied that the borough already has two council members who are on the subcommittee of Upper Freehold and county officials who are working on Freedom Fest-related issues. He pointed out that the subcommittee’s discussions about traffic and parking are still ongoing.
   ”The fact is that nobody, which in all fairness includes you, knows what the plan is,” Mayor Fierstein said. “But we have been assured by the (Monmouth County) Engineering Department that there will be a meeting prior to any final recommendation to the freeholders, and that will be the appropriate time for us to weigh in.”
   Mr. Cantor urged the governing body to make an official public statement either by resolution or a letter to the county freeholders.
   ”I appreciate that it’s Upper Freehold’s jurisdiction and not your call,” Mr. Cantor said. “But I disagree with the way you’re going about this.
   ”Yes, there’s no final plan, but there are issues … that you should be making a public statement about,” Mr. Cantor said. “Your lack of a public (statement) can be perceived by others as your acquiescence.”
   Mr. DeMauro, when asked Sunday about security arrangements for Freedom Fest, said security would be handled by state police and county sheriff’s officers, just as it has been for the past eight years when the event was at the Horse Park.
   ”It’s the same security we’ve always had, and it’s always worked out quite well and been a very safe event,” Mr. DeMauro said.
   Freedom Fest, which will be held July 12-17, bills itself as the state’s premier festival, with a state-approved agricultural fair, large animal shows, demonstrations, amusement rides, games, live concerts, exotic animals, contests and the largest traveling midway in the Northeast. Ticket prices for 2011 are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children ages 5-10. Admission is free for children 4 and under.
   ”It’s a great fair that has raised over $100,000 for charities over the years,” Mr. DeMauro said. “It’s going to be a fantastic event.”
   Monmouth County Engineer Joe Ettore did not return a phone message on Friday about the Freedom Fest traffic plan discussions.
   For more information on the Freedom Fest State Fair, go to http://freedomfeststatefair.com.