Officials expecting check for Traders Cove soon

PATRICIA A. MILLER Barnegat Bay near Traders Cove on Mantoloking Road shimmers in the fall sunlight Sunday. BRICK TOWNSHIP - Ocean County will soon own a portion of Traders Cove, according to an ordinance the Township Council introduced recently.

The township will sell the 5.8-acre piece near the Mantoloking Bridge to the county for $1.5 million.

"We are hoping to get that check sooner than later," Township Council President Stephen C. Acropolis said at the Oct. 9 council meeting.

County officials committed to purchasing the piece of property from Brick back in 2005, when the township bonded for part of the $8 million purchase price.

The county and the township will share joint parking space, bulk heading and bathrooms on the county's portion of the site.

"It's more of an interlocal service agreement," Acropolis said. "We are thrilled when things work out like this. I think they have spent a lot on improvements already."

The county plans to use the site for a small public park and fishing pier, county Administrator Alan W. Avery Jr. has said.

Acropolis said recently that several redevelopers were interested in the remainder of the site.

"When this process is done, I think people will be very happy with the amount of money we are getting," he said at the meeting.

The redevelopment plan for the remaining 12.5-acres calls for a marina with limited use, limited boat storage, a park with amenities and a maritime history museum.

"Boat spraying and painting are prohibited," Councilman Michael Thulen said. "It's basically what we have been saying all along."

Someone has already committed to building the $5 million museum, which will focus on the history of Barnegat Bay, Acropolis said.

"The site also has to make business sense," he said. "We have to adopt more of the Mike Ritacco [Toms River Regional School Superintendent Michael J. Ritacco] model."