Toms River Plans Route 37 Monument As Shore Welcome, Sandy Recovery Commemoration

A monument designed by local sculptor Brian Hanlon, a Toms River native, will welcome residents and visitors home to the Jersey Shore in the future, local officials announced this week.

"We wanted to give something back to a county that has been our home for the last 45 years," said Jay Grunin, whose family will donate the sculpture to the township and county. "Most importantly, we wanted to forge a new image in people’s minds that truly represents what our community stands for; that is family, great recreational offerings, and a people that will rise above adversity regardless of the obstacle."

The sculpture will be located on Route 37 East, east of the Route 166 intersection near the Exxon station on a plot of land that was once destined to become home to a billboard, officials said. The small plot of land on which the sculpture will rest is owned by Toms River Township.

The monument is expected to cost about $500,000, according to a report on APP.com.

The majestic welcome presentation will be made of Bronze and designed by Hanlon, who is well known in the area for his public sculptures, including the noted Angel in Anguish monument in Brick that is a memorial to local Sept. 11 victims and a monument unveiled last summer in Barnegat Light that memorializes local fishermen lost to the sea. He is also the official sculptor of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and recently completed the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.

“It’s extremely rewarding to be able to do something like this in my own hometown," said Hanlon. "I can sincerely say that there has never been, nor do I think there ever will be, a project that I hold so closely to my heart."

The Toms River sculpture will depict a local, beach-bound family and be outfitted with flags and ocean waves.

The monument is expected to be completed in July.