Seaside Heights Drops Plan for Carousel Pavilion Improvements, Shifts to ‘Reflection Park’

Seaside Heights Carousel Pavilion (Photo: Shorebeat)

A plan to invest in improvements to the empty parcel of land near Seaside Heights’ Carousel Pavilion has been shelved for the time being, with the borough shifting its state funding priorities to the planned “Reflection Park” on the opposite side of town.

Last summer, officials announced plans to use a vacant portion of the Carousel Pavilion – located between Carteret and Sampson avenues – to house additions that would incorporate more of the borough’s history into the pavilion, add space for community and civic groups to gather, plus storage. The area was also slated to host two antique firetrucks in a display and provide ancillary park space.

The boardwalk plan drew opposition from a single neighboring resident, but was otherwise well-received. But ultimately, as the borough planned its application for grant funding, the terms of the grant were geared more toward park space than additions to a facility such as the Carousel Pavilion. That led officials to brainstorm new ideas, with the ultimate decision coming down to the newly-proposed passive park on Bay Avenue that would provide quiet open space for residents and visitors.

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“It wasn’t our intent to have the pavilion as a park – it’s an amusement area,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz. “But the park was part of our original plan when we started thinking about this. We felt the grant looked better for a pure park project, and it made sense to locate it near the Community Center.”

The borough council recently accepted a survey on the Reflection Park from residents, and held a public hearing last week following a council meeting. Ideas from the survey – and the hearing – will be incorporated into a final proposal that will be submitted to the state with the hope of securing grant funding.

“You’ll have the Community Center, Reflection Park, a tennis and pickleball court, a bocce court, a basketball court, the school, and an exercise park – and it will all be combined,” said Vaz. “People can sit down and have some peace and quiet, they can play pickleball or tennis, they could exercise. The grant is well-geared toward that area.”

The Carousel Pavilion expansion is “off the table,” Vaz said, but there may be an opportunity to take a look at the property again in the future. The oceanfront property, along the boardwalk, currently houses the borough’s historic carousel, which was fully restored and continues to operate. The northern portion of the property, however, is undeveloped, and used primarily for overflow parking and some special events. The land and the carousel itself were acquired from Casino Pier in exchange for permission to utilize some of the borough’s beachfront to expand the pier, which would otherwise have been built out into the Atlantic Ocean where it would be more susceptible to storm damage.

The location of a future ‘Reflection Park’ in Seaside Heights. (Planning Document)

Examples of features that may be included in the future ‘Reflection Park’ in Seaside Heights. (File)

Reflection Park would be located along Hancock Avenue, between Bay Boulevard and Barnegat Avenue. The parcel of land on which the park would be built is now a fenced-off vacant lot. The borough’s basketball and tennis courts are located to the north. Some of the ideas floated for the park include a reflection garden – an intimate space surrounded by native plants to offer an immersive experience; a sculpture garden to enhance the character of the park; a winding walking path amongst the plants; a sensory garden with moving water features; plus a granite path or elevated walkway. Some other ideas have included artfully-designed shade structures, small play elements for children made with natural materials, an open-air outdoor event space with a wooden stage and bench seating, and a small splash pad area for children.