Above: A view of Chris’ River Plaza Marina, which is slated to become a new Monmouth County park by the end of September. Below: Chris’ River Plaza Marina will soon become home to a new waterfront park where residents will be able to launch small crafts, picnic and go crabbing and fishing. Chris’ River Plaza Marina is slated to become a county park where residents will be able to launch small crafts, picnic, fish and go crabbing and bird watch.
According to William Kastning, Monmouth Conservation Foundation executive director, stakeholders are expected to close by the end of September on the $3.81 million purchase of the approximately 15-acre tract, which provides access to the Swimming and Navesink rivers
The site will become the newest Monmouth County recreational spot, Swimming River Park.
“This has been a long time in the making,” Kastning said in an interview Sept. 9. “I started this project when I worked for [the NJ Department of Environment Protection] Green Acres 15 years ago and it’s great to finally see it come to fruition … I think it can provide a lot of opportunities for residents.”
PHOTOS BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR Once acquired and under the ownership of the Monmouth County Park System, plans are in the works to make improvements to the park in the coming months — including an improved boat launch ramp to provide access to the river.
“The Monmouth County Park System is very excited to be bringing this new park to residents,” said Karen Livingstone, public information officer with the park system.
“The new Swimming River Park will open up a whole new area for residents to enjoy these scenic views or to go fishing or crabbing … we’re very excited about what this can bring to our residents.”
According to Kastning, the site – which is located in the River Plaza section of Middletown at the Red Bank border — will undergo clean up to be turned into a passive recreational area for locals. “It has taken a long time to get here and there is still a lot of work to be done, but hopefully once the deal is closed the park can officially be opened to residents within 18 to 24 months,” he said.
“We have already removed fuel storage tanks that remained on the site, but there are still several environmental issues that we are dealing with right now.
“The site is a polychlorinated biphenyl hotspot, we’re also in the process of clearing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that have remained on site due to old asphalt pavements and millings, historic pesticides remain from when apple orchards were in the area … it might have a lot of issues right now but we are working hard to resolve them and I think it is going to be a nice new park for residents,” he said.
According to Kastning, the Monmouth County freeholders have been working with the Monmouth Conservation Foundation for more than a decade in an effort to preserve the tract and make the new park a reality.
“At the time, Middletown Township officials thought that they might want to use the property as one of their own parks, but for whatever reason, that didn’t go through so the [freeholders] stepped in and are willing to pay for the entire acquisition,” he said.
The foundation has contributed $200,000 toward the purchase.
Part of that funding includes a $100,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres open space program.
Kastning said the family owned and operated Chris’ Deli and Liquor on site is not part of the marina acquisition.
“Monmouth Conservation Foundation and the Monmouth County Park System have the right of first refusal on the deli property should it be offered for sale,” he said.
“To see everyone working together and doing what they can to preserve this space is wonderful,” Kastning said.
“All of this was supported at Green Acres, and now years later to see this coming to fruition I am very excited for the opportunities it will provide residents.”