Berkeley Island County Park Expected To Open In The Spring Of 2018, Freeholder says

The route to reopening Berkeley Island County Park in Bayville has been long and tortuous, ever since Superstorm Sandy slammed into the popular park on Oct. 29, 2012 and virtually destroyed it.

And there's probably no one who would like to see it open as soon as possible than Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr.

"Progress is being made," said Bartlett - who serves as the liaison to the county parks and recreation department - said if all goes well, he expects the park to reopen in the spring of 2018.

"We cannot open it and will not open it until next spring," he said.

He's aware of the public's frustration with the longtime closure of the park. There's been a multitude of snags on the way to reopening the park off Brennan Concourse in Bayville.

For starters, there's been problems with the bulkheading contractor. The state wants a "Living Shoreline" installed on the south side of the park, where much of the land was lost. The county had a multitude of permits that had to obtained before some of the work could begin, Bartlett said.

All new infrastructures, a new parking area with ADA accommodations and improved lighting for easy access are just some of the features that will be available at the 25-acre park.

The redevelopment plan includes larger restroom facilities, a new pavilion for picnickers and new shade structures to enjoy views of Barnegat Bay.

Much of the parking lot was lost during the storm. Repairs to some of the "armor mats" at the water's edge had to be made. Some of the work must be completed by Dec. 1, when the winter flounder season begins, Bartlett said.

The county is running municipal water lines into the park. A new restroom building will go up, along with the new pavilion, with grills. While there once was a small swimming beach, it's now "essentially gone," Bartlett said.

The county will instead install a "splash park," which Bartlett thinks will appeal to a number of children.

The county briefly opened up part of a fishing pier in the park, at the urging of Berkeley Township Councilman James J. Byrnes. But someone fell through a portion of the pier and filed a lawsuit, Bartlett said.

So for now, the entire park is closed and will remain so until at least next spring, he said.

Photos: by Patricia A. Miller