Long Branch seeks $500,000 Monmouth County grant to rebuild Manhasset Creek Park playground

Michael Reiser of the engineering firm Artheon told the Long Branch City Council at a July 8 workshop that the city will apply for Monmouth County Open Space grant funds to rebuild the playground and repair support facilities at Manhasset Creek Park, a roughly 16.4-acre site at 500 Long Branch Avenue.

The presentation said the county grant program is limited to $500,000 per project for designated urban aid communities and will cover up to 75% of eligible project costs. "The estimated cost is $757,000," Reiser said, "so we would be going for the full $500,000, and then the remaining $257,000 would be funded by the city." Reiser also outlined proposed work including new playground equipment, new edging, engineered wood‑fiber surfacing, landscaping and roof repairs to the concession/bathroom/office building to address an ongoing leak.

The council pressed for details on accessibility and surfacing. A council member asked whether the new equipment and surfacing would be accessible; Reiser said the plan assumes ADA‑compliant features and that engineered wood fiber meets ADA accessibility standards. On surfacing options, Reiser said rubber surfacing is already present in some areas but raised cost and maintenance concerns: "There are studies going on with the material that's used in [rubber surfacing]," he said, and "it's much more expensive to do the rubber surfacing." Reiser estimated that a rubber system typically needs replacement every 7 to 10 years and said mulch is substantially cheaper to maintain and replace as needed.

Councilors also asked for a breakdown of the $757,000 estimate; Reiser said an itemized estimate exists and can be circulated to the council. He described the bid and procurement sequence if the grant is awarded: Artheon would prepare bid specifications, the city would go out to competitive bid under the "lowest responsible bidder" standard, and construction would begin after design and the bid-award timeline (the staff estimate in the meeting placed bidding at roughly 45–60 days and construction starting about 30 days after bid award).

Reiser said Monmouth County typically announces grant awards in the fall, and if Long Branch is awarded the funds and proceeds with design, the project could be ready for construction as soon as the following summer. He noted the city has received county open-space funds in recent years for other parks and facilities.

The council will receive a formal grant agreement and backup materials if the county awards funds; Reiser said the city could add additional amenities later if its own funds cover them. During closing business, a motion to end the public portion of the meeting was made and seconded and a voice vote produced multiple recorded "Aye" responses. Mayor Haddam then announced an executive session to discuss attorney–client privileged matters and an administrator update; the motion to enter executive session was made and seconded in the meeting record, and the transcript ends before a recorded vote on that motion.

If awarded, the grant would cover the bulk of the immediate playground reconstruction; city officials would need to identify the $257,000 local match and approve design and procurement details before work begins.