Monmouth County has announced the award of a $200,000 grant to Red Bank as part of the 2019 Municipal Open Space Grant Program.  The Grant is a program of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and administered by the Monmouth County Park System. The purpose of the Monmouth County Municipal Open Space Program is to expand park and open space opportunities for Monmouth County residents by providing funding to assist municipalities with their local programs of park and open space acquisition and/or development/redevelopment. The program is a competitive program where municipalities submit applications for proposed projects.

The Borough of Red Bank developed a Park Improvement Plan with multiple phases to be completed.  Phase I of the plan included some improvements to East Side Park and Mohawk Pond which are nearing completion.  Phase I was funded with the assistance of the 2015 Monmouth County Open Space Grant Program.

At a Public Hearing held at the August 21, 2019 meeting of the Mayor & Council, the next phase of the project, Phase II, was reviewed.  The 2019 Municipal Open Space Grant Program will assist with the funding to complete the following improvements included in Phase II:

• East Side Park – reconstruct new baseball field, including backstop, fencing, and dugouts, as well as surfacing and edging existing playground equipment to prepare for future equipment installation.
• Mohawk Pond Park – add a steel pavilion structure with outdoor grills and picnic tables to enhance park activities including fishing.
• Count Basie – install new solar lighting system along the existing baseball fields and basketball courts to provide extended park hours.

Since 2018, the Borough of Red Bank has applied for many grants in an effort to generate additional revenue for municipal improvements without increasing taxes.  With this latest announcement, the total value of grants awarded is approximately $1.98 million.