Politics & Government

Aberdeen Working Toward Creating a Passive Recreation Park

The township is acquiring grants to purchase land near the Old Bridge border

Aberdeen Township is in the process of acquiring grants in order to purchase about 21 acres of land near the Old Bridge border.

The Greenwood Road property, owned by the Fiorino family, consists of old farm land and woods, and the township plans to preserve the land by turning it into a passive recreation park.

The council introduced an ordinance authorizing the township to bond $130,000 toward the purchase of the land at their meeting Jan. 17. Township Manager Holly Reycraft explained that the $130,000 will only be spent if the township cannot pay for the entire property using grants.

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The 21.4 acres of land was appraised at $950,000 by the Trust for Public Land. Aberdeen has already secured $820,000 in grants over the last two years - $316,250 from New Jersey Green Acres Funds, $250,000 from County of Monmouth Open Space Funds, $100,000 from New Jersey DEP Natural Resource Restoration Fund and $153,750 from Trust for Public Land Capital Fund.

Reycraft said that the township is still actively working toward securing grants to cover the final $130,000 needed to purchase the property, but bonding the amount as a safety net demonstrates the township's dedication. 

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Aberdeen plans to purchase a similarly sized property, also on Greenwood Road, for the same purpose. However, Reycraft said, the first piece can be turned into a passive recreation park before the second piece is acquired.

Plans for the park are still in the very early stages, but Mayor Fred Tagliarini explained that there will be trails and possibly athletic fields. The focus of the project is to preserve the open space and create a welcoming park for residents of northern Monmouth County.

The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7 at .


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