Point Boro Plans for New Rec Center Taking Shape

A project to build an additional recreation center in Point Pleasant Borough will take shape over the winter, as the borough council promised to survey residents and stakeholders about what the building should offer and look like.

The borough paid $2.97 million in September for 860 Arnold Avenue, where developer Michael Granite once planned to build 24 townhouses. The property, near the turn into Point Pleasant Beach on Arnold Avenue, sat vacant for years with a builders’ trailer, where according to the borough the real estate market struggled.

After more than two years of planning, the Borough of Point Pleasant bought the site. The property, formerly Blocks 113-1 and 113-9 were consolidated to form the new property – Block 113-1.01, located at 860 Arnold Avenue.

The new facility would be in addition to the existing recreation center on River Avenue. However, the new site is on a 2.75-acre parcel, nearly 2.5 times the size of the other site.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Point Pleasant Mayor William Schroeder said recently. “Now, I want to assemble a committee of residents and recreation department staff to plan.”

He said the borough intends to break ground on the property sometime in the spring of 2014, at which time the borough will also go out to bid on the construction.

“If all goes well,” Mayor Schroeder said, “We could have the site completed and up and running by the end of 2014.”

The look and contents of the facility came up at the Nov. 19 meeting, when a resident inquired over parking, lighting and other elements.

The mayor and Councilman Christopher Leitner answered that the plans are very much in the planning stage.

“We need to develop a design concept,” Schroeder said. “We have a desire to start it next springtime.”

Sending out surveys and gathering feedback in other ways is very much a part of the plan for the coming months, they said.

“We want all the stakeholders in the community from seniors to kids to see what is best for our town,” Leitner said.

Schroeder added these steps aren’t in place at this moment: “It’s a long way off, but yes we’ll be sending out surveys.”

“I’ve been working on this for two years,” Schroeder said recently. “Between researching different properties to gaining a consensus among council members, I’m glad to see this day come.”

The current recreation facility is located on River Avenue in the borough and was built in 1955.

“Expanding the recreation department beyond the 1950 standard has been a goal of mine for years,” the mayor said. “Having grown up in Point Pleasant, I’ve always seen the need to upgrade the facility.”

“We are planning on making plans,” Leitner said. “Everyone should have as much input as possible. It’s the community’s (recreation center).”