Politics & Government

A Hard Push for Softball Complex

Township working toward spring groundbreaking on North Bay Avenue

Resist the temptation to quote from “Field of Dreams.”

Although, it does describe how Toms River Girls Softball League President Rob Hussey feels about the coming groundbreaking of a $3.5 million softball complex on .

“We are just so excited,” Hussey said in a phone interview Wednesday. “We’ve been talking about this for a decade, and now to have it this close to having a dream come true — it’s really exciting.”

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A $3.5 million softball complex on North Bay Avenue south of Whitty Road in Toms River is scheduled to break ground this spring, and township officials hope the complex would open for spring 2012.

“The softball complex is long overdue,” said Eric J. Schubiger, director of the town's Recreation Department. “Hopefully it will be open in spring 2012 so we can make it available for the softball season.”

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It’s a project with four softball fields (two on each side of the property) and a t-ball field toward the middle. A concession stand and picnic area are nearby, and two retention basins to catch runoff water will sit toward the back of the property.

Drivers will exit and enter from two points on North Bay Avenue into the complex’s parking lots, which have a planned 180 spaces, as well as a traffic-calming device for pedestrian safety.

Surrounding the property would be a bike or walking trail and a smaller tot-lot style playground are also part of the plans.

Currently, softball teams from Toms River Girls Softball or the Toms River Tornadoes are left sharing the decades’ old fields among the YMCA on Whitty Road, the Shelter Cove fields off Bay Avenue, or among school softball fields when not in use by the schools.

Compare that to Toms River’s baseball leagues, who have a baseball complex teams can use on Windsor Avenue.

“Lacey has an amazing softball complex, and soon Toms River will have its own,” he said, adding the new fields cannot compare with the municipal and school fields the league uses for practice, games and tournaments. “This is something we, the town, everybody will really be proud of.”

Hussey said the original plan was a complex ready for the 2011 season. Although delayed a year, the plans are something he’s hopeful about, in spite of an economic picture towns have been grappling with.

“We’re hopeful, we are grateful, accepting of plans,” Hussey said. “The delay may be a bit heartbreaking but we’ve been asking for it for years and understand, and ultimately are just so very excited to see it progressing.”

There’s more than 700 girls involved in league softball in Toms River, and Hussey said it will be amazing for them to have a home in a softball complex.

Township officials agreed. Schubiger said it was an exciting time for the community and Township Council members said they are behind the project and remain committed to pushing it forward.

As the project goes out to bid, the council continues to pledge the project will progress, in spite of the financial landscape of the economy and its effect on township finances.

"When things were tough, we stayed hard and fast with girls softball,” said Councilwoman Maria Maruca said at this week’s Recreation Commission meeting. “We’ve been asked again and again, ‘Why don’t you back down and use the money for something else?’ Absolutely not. There’s nothing for the girls.”

Councilman John Sevastakis said the demands on the current fields could be alleviated by the new complex, allowing for more opportunities for Toms River to host tournaments, but also for additional ways for the community to use municipal facilities.

“The softball complex is for Toms River Girls, not just the league, but it’s for all girls softball,” said the councilman.

However Hussey said the facility will obviously have a big impact on his organization, beyond playing space. It could facilitate his equipment storage, offer a press box above the concession stand, and provide meeting space for teams and coaches.

“It will mean a lot to us, sure,” Hussey said. “But ultimately it will mean a lot to the girls, the players. That’s obviously what this is all for. We are just so excited for them, to give the girls a place like this.”

The demand for softball, Hussey said, has remained steady despite a surge in lacrosse participation. And over his ten years volunteering as coach and league president, Hussey said girls sports are often left behind, lacking their own facilities.

“There is nothing for the girls,” Hussey said. “Not until now.”


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