‘Inclusive’ Bayfront Playground Funding Approved for Seaside Heights

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

The state Department of Environmental Protection on Tuesday announced that Seaside Heights’s application for funds to build a unique, “inclusive” playground for children on the shore of Barnegat Bay.

The announcement was also shared by Mayor Anthony Vaz on social media, saying the DEP’s $750,000 grant will be added to a previous $100,000 grant from the Department of Community Affairs to fund the $897,000 project at Sunset Beach, the borough’s official bay beach near the Stewart’s Root Beer stand.

“Thank you to everyone that supported the application with your letters and emails!” said Vaz.

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The park will be one of the only include parks on the waterfront in New Jersey. The goal of an inclusive park is to offer playground equipment that is appealing to all children, while remaining accessible to children with disabilities. Seaside Heights’ unique iteration will include coastal colors and sea creature decorations, plus a picnic area.

The playground itself will include many features that can be found in most playgrounds like swingsets, however they will be designed specifically to be accessible – and fun, of course – for all children, disabled or not. A spin-around attraction would even allow wheelchairs to be loaded into the carrier for a quick ride, and “transfer decks” would likewise allow wheelchair access to swings and slides. The playground will also include spinning animal attractions, as well as sensory-optmized activities for children with autism and similar disabilities, plus wheelchair access to rides and revised grading to make the park accessible for all.

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

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The playground will be located where the swingset and “pirate ship masts” from an existing playground are located along the bay beach near the Stewart’s Root Beer stand and rental boat dock. That playground has been somewhat dismantled as its parts deteriorated, and it also suffered damage during Superstorm Sandy.

A bonus will be new public restrooms at Sunset Beach. The state requires that new restrooms be installed at the bay beach before funding is released for playground construction. Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz has previously said that due to changes in building codes, most companies that produce pre-fabricated restrooms no longer do business in New Jersey, however plans based on a previous facility installed along the boardwalk were able to be used as a basis for the bay beach bathrooms.

“I’ve already had the architect design it,” Vaz said. “We have a set of plans ready to go, so we’d just have to find a place for it up by Stewart’s.”

A major part of the construction effort would be to re-grade the site so it is easily accessible to all, said project engineer Mark Lennon, who prepared an environmental impact statement required by the state.

Equipment proposed for a new ‘inclusive playground’ at Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

“In this case, the project site was developed with a better foundation which addresses both the ADA compliance issue and the environmental issue,” said Lennon. “We have a barrier-free access between the boardwalk and the playground surface, and it has the benefit of getting us up out of the water by about 24-inches. The instances of flooding like we’ve seen in the last few weeks would be mitigated.”

The park’s design was significantly influenced by Borough Planner Jennifer Gorini, who led public meetings and solicited public input to help plan the park’s layout and submit the funding application to the state.

“We have been working closely with General Recreation Inc., we did a site visit and worked with them to pick out specific equipment that would be a good fit for inclusive users of this site,” Gorini said.

A new municipal dock is completed in Seaside Heights, N.J., 2023. (Photo: Shorebeat)

The DEP is recommending $33 million in this year’s annual state budget to significantly expand the number of inclusive parks statewide. Seaside Heights’ application was particularly attractive due to its Shore area location and only one other local park – in Toms River – fitting the definition of “completely accessible.”

“New Jersey is poised to make a historically significant investment in its parks and the people who depend on them for recreation, open space and a sense of community for all,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. “The grants and loans proposed for these projects will provide opportunities for residents and visitors alike – across the Garden State – to engage in healthy activities, enjoy the outdoors and spend quality family time together.”

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Editor’s Note: The story corrected a typographical error in which Seaside “Park” was identified in place of Seaside “Heights” having applied for the grant.