Government

Construction Beginning on Inclusive Playground at Seaside Heights Bayfront

by
Daniel Nee
September 4, 2025

Sunset Beach, Seaside Heights, N.J. bayfront, Sept. 2025. (Photo: Shorebeat)

After months of permitting issues and last-minute changes largely beyond the control of the borough, the long-awaited “inclusive” playground playground on Seaside Heights’ bayfront is now under construction, with the timeline for completion looking toward late fall.

“This is going to go quickly,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz. “It’s going to be a nice endeavor, and we’re going to see that project move along.”

The playground will be located near the Stewart’s Root Beer stand at Sunset Beach, the borough’s bay beach off Route 35/37. It will also come with new, accessible family restrooms as part of the project, which was funded through state grants under what is known as “Jake’s Law.” The borough council this week authorized $210,000 toward the new restroom facility, which will be located adjacent to the playground equipment.

Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz said work on the project is just beginning this week, with the tentative schedule indicating the playground may be completed in late November or early December, depending on weather.

Sunset Beach, Seaside Heights, N.J. bayfront, Sept. 2025. (Photo: Shorebeat)

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

Renderings of the planned ‘inclusive playground’ in Seaside Heights, N.J. (Credit: Borough of Seaside Heights)

In July, the borough council awarded a $746,678 contract to Gavan General Contracting, which will build the unique playground in the coming weeks. Last year, the borough was awarded a $750,000 grant from the state’s “Jake’s Law” program to build the playground. The law refers to a program aimed at funding the construction of parks that are suited for use by both children with disabilities as well as their typical peers, recognizing that “accessible” playgrounds of the past rarely attracted those without handicaps, while traditional playgrounds were inaccessible to those who were disabled. The design of an “inclusive” playground ensures that the equipment and layout is fun for all children, with special features added to allow disabled access.

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. A spin-around attraction will 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-optimized activities for children with autism and similar disabilities, plus revised grading to make the park accessible for all. The restroom facility will also be fully accessible.

Sunset Beach, Seaside Heights, N.J. bayfront, Sept. 2025. (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.”