Government

Location of ‘Inclusive Playground’ at Seaside Heights Bay Beach to be Tweaked

by
Daniel Nee
May 17, 2024

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

The location of an ambitious project to create one of the state’s only waterfront “inclusive playgrounds” in Seaside Heights will be modified slightly, officials said this week, following correspondence with state agencies.

The unique playground project, which last month received a $750,000 grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection, will still be constructed at “Sunset Beach,” as the borough’s bay beach off Route 35 is known, however it will not be built in the exact location as originally proposed. Initially, the playground was envisioned to be constructed in place of a former playground – only a swingset remained in recent years – near the boat rental shack and bait shop.

The problem, it seems, was that unbeknownst to officials for decades, this location was never meant for use as a playground in the first place.

“What we found out in the discussion is that the old park was never permitted correctly,” said Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz. “We figured you could put a playground where you already had one – but the story with that is that it had to have been permitted already.”

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

The borough council will work with its planners and engineers to carve out a new space for the playground, which will be designed specifically so its attractions will provide seamless fun for both typical children and those with special needs – physical and developmental.

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.

“It’s still a viable project,” said Vaz, confirming that the funding remains on the table and the state is still behind its construction.

“The state likes the project, but you know how things go – you get the grant from one agency, but it has to fit the requirements of the other agencies,” he explained. ” It will still be built, it is still a go, however it will be located in a different portion of the park.

The revised location for the playground has not yet been decided.

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. The borough will also construct new public restrooms near the park, one of the requirements that came with the funding.

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

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

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.

“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.