Louis ‘Del’ DalPra at Red Bank Regional in 2009. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Former Red Bank Regional High athletic director and coach Louis ‘Del’ DalPra was named director of the borough’s parks and recreation department Wednesday night.
Charlie Hoffmann with parks attendant Celestine Woods at Riverside Gardens Park in 2018. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Charlie Hoffmann, who has directed Red Bank’s parks and recreation department for the past five years, is leaving town.
The announcement of his departure at the council’s semimonthly meeting Wednesday sparked a “pile-on” of praise for Hoffmann’s work, which included organizing everything from sports and cultural offerings to this weekend’s Spring Egg Hunt.
Jack Davis with the color version of his logo for the Red Bank Parks & Rec department. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Red Bank’s Parks and Recreation department is getting some new branding, courtesy of a sophomore at Red Bank Regional.
Designed by Little Silver resident Jack Davis, the color version of the department’s new logo features a sun-tinged sky over the Navesink River, as seen through the archway entrance to Riverside Gardens Park on West Front Street.
Attention future World Cup athletes: there’s one week left to sign up for Red Bank Rec’s fall soccer program, which is open to kids of all experience levels aged 3 to 8th grade. Registrations may be made online or in person at the parks and rec office at 90 Monmouth Street. For additional info, call 732-530-2782. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Red Bank Patrolman Stan Balmer and the police department’s K-9, Hunter, above, were among the role-model guests at the borough parks and recreation department’s first Mother-Son event, held Saturday at the Senior Citizens Center. Balmer recounted that a knife-wielding man dropped his weapon recently only after Hunter was brought into the situation.
Also offering presentations were 90-year-old World War II veteran Lou Parisi, of Loch Arbor, below; a borough firefighter; and a massage therapist. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Coming off the success of its first Father-Daughter Dance in February, the Red Bank parks & rec department plans to hold a mother-son event around the theme of “local heroes,” says director Charlie Hoffmann. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
The George Sheehan Classic may have left town, but Red Bank residents looking to ease into a trot, or even a run, after a sedentary winter will get their chance in the form of a new offering from the borough parks and rec department.
Accompanied by their fathers, a dozen young Red Bank ladies took to the dance floor for the borough recreation department’s first Father-Daughter Dance at the Senior Citizens’ Center Saturday night.
Initiated by new parks & rec Director Charlie Hoffmann, the event was catered by New Corner Pizza, with flowers donated by Dean’s Florist. A team of girls from the Red Bank Regional High Key Club provided decorating and photography services.
Hoffmann says he’s planning an event dubbed the “Mother-Son Heroes Brunch” around Mother’s Day, so stay tuned. Meantime, we’ve got more photos from Saturday’s event below. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Cliff Keen, above, is the new director of public utilities, and Charlie Hoffmann, below, runs parks and rec. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Recent months have brought some new faces to Red Bank government.
In particular, three departments that residents have regular interaction with, and occasional strong opinions about, are under new leadership: parks and recreation; planning and zoning; and public utilities.
Here’s a quick intro to the new directors.