This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Hurricane's Effects Still Being Felt at Twp. Fields

Activities continue to be rescheduled at saturated parks

Township parks were among the lesser known casualties of last month's Hurricane Irene, as flooding's effects are still being felt on frequently used playing fields.

The little league baseball fields on Mapletree Road were flooded. Eric Schubiger, director of recreation, said that the Winding River fields and trails needed to be closed for a few days due to excessive water and to “ensure the integrity of the fields." 

While there was no damage to the fields off Route 37, Schubiger said that the fields are closed periodically throughout the year because of rain. After the storm, however, they needed to be closed for a few more days than usual. The fields host events such as men’s and women’s softball leagues, as well as private parties, all of which were rescheduled. 

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schubiger said he had never seen the fields flooded to the extent they were in the years he has worked as director of recreation. 

For the first few days after Hurricane Irene, park security was on site prohibiting vehicles from traveling through the flooded entrance to the park. It took about two days for the entrance flooding to recede. The baseball fields at Winding River Park took longer to recede since areas around the bases tend to gather more water.  

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schubiger said August had a surplus of rainfall which added to the impact of Hurricane Irene to the fields. Many of the township’s soccer fields, including Bey Lea and Shelter Cove, also were under water and games were postponed as a result. 

Although Hurricane Irene’s rain ended, an increased amount of rainfall has continued causing fields to remain flooded. All fields that were affected by the hurricane have reopened, but many games are still being rescheduled because of the condition of the fields and increased amounts of rain. 

However, some fields were unaffected by Hurricane Irene, allowing sporting events to go on as scheduled.

“Our school fields held up very well. No damage and no major flooding,” said Frank Roselli, superintendent of Toms River Regional Schools.  “All teams have been practicing since the Tuesday after the storm ended.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?