Red Bank will move forward with an application for state money to replace the grandstand at Count Basie Fields, following unanimous council action last week.
New Jersey Green Acres funding would enable the borough to replace the stadium’s home-side bleachers, locker rooms and storage space at an estimated cost of $1.16 million, then-interim borough Manager Darren McConnell told the council.
The pricetag includes $175,000 for a press box/announcer’s booth.
The steel bleachers have been in place “as best we can tell” for about 90 years, McConnell said. And while “they’re safe at the moment,” in addition to not being “aesthetically not very pleasing,” they have areas of exposed sharp metal that present dangers to attendees, he said.
But without outside funding, it’s hard to make the project a borough priority because of the cost, McConnell said.
The borough sought Green Acres money for the project a year ago but was not successful, McConnell said.
Councilman Ben Forest agreed the application made sense. “At some point, we will have to take action” to prevent the structure from becoming an increasing liability, he said.
“It’s not particularly safe,” he said, and encouraged the project to include railing along the stair lanes, which the existing bleachers don’t have.
A decision by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection is expected around July. Construction, if funded, probably would not occur until 2025, McConnell told redbankgreen.
Red Bank Catholic High School has a longterm lease to use the football field as its home turf.
(Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
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