RED BANK: RESTROOMS NEARLY READY TO GO
A new structure suddenly appeared in Red Bank’s Marine Park last week. What’s going on here? Read on.
RED BANK: TENNIS COURTS STILL IN LIMBO
The new tennis court retaining wall and sidewalk along Union Street, as seen last week. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
No, Red Bank’s red clay tennis courts overlooking the Navesink River aren’t being restored — not yet at least.
RED BANK: RETHINKING ALL OF MARINE PARK
Longtime Red Bank clay courts tennis pro Rich Nicoletti on the site of the dormant riverfront facility earlier this month. The Monmouth Boat Club is in the background. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
This time of year, scuffing footwork and the thwok of tennis balls would normally be heard most summer mornings down by the Navesink River in Red Bank’s Marine Park, widely considered nirvana among aficionados for its unusual red clay courts.
It was certainly that for Rich Nicoletti, who grew up in an apartment above what’s now the Downtown nightclub just up the hill, and spent decades as the tennis pro at the borough-owned facility.
“These tennis courts were a gem,” said the retired sports journalist, who at 73 estimates he’s spent fully one-quarter of his life at the site. “It was beautiful.”
But 86 years after they opened, the courts may have seen their last match.
RED BANK: TENNIS FANS MUSTER FOR COURTS
The tennis courts, overgrown with weeds since being swamped by Hurricane Sandy three years ago, got a sprucing-up from the borough last week. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
As expected, the Red Bank council derailed an ambitious plan for $3.5 million worth of private development on the site of the borough-owned red clay tennis courts in Marine Park Monday night.
Still, a roomful of frustrated tennis enthusiasts packed the council chambers, many of them holding paper signs urging the council to now restore the hurricane-damaged riverfront courts to playability.
RED BANK: MARINE PARK PROJECTS NIXED
The clay tennis courts at Marine Park as seen in August. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
All three private-sector proposals for the future of Red Bank’s hurricane-damaged Marine Park clay tennis courts should be rejected, a triumverate of borough council members is expected to say in a report next week.
The recommendation to the full council is being made in spite of the fact that one pitch, by startup Jetsun Enterprises, was far and away the winner on paper. But in the court of public opinion, it was over the line, Councilwoman Linda Schwabenbauer told redbankgreen on Monday.