Eldest Freeholder Ginny Haines Threatens to Shut Down All County Parks

TOMS RIVER-Ocean County Freeholder Virginia Haines, 77, the eldest leader on the aging Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders is telling people to stay off her grass today. Haines, announced the closure ofÂ the Mantoloking Bridge County Park and Fishing Pier on Mantoloking Road in Brick. It will be closed to the public because Haines said, too many people are crowding into the park at once despite the need for social distancing to stop the spread of the coronavirus. "This park is a small park and does not provide enough room for social distancing," said Haines who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation. "Out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with state mandates to help us stop the spread of the coronavirus, we have closed this park entirely to the public. At this time we cannot accommodate large groups of people gathering in our parks." Haines made no comment on social distancing in other towns where the coronvirus has been growing exponentially each day. "We have closed our two county golf courses, all of our nature centers and public facilities in the parks including playgrounds, bathrooms, playing fields, tennis courts and basketball courts," Haines said. "While we want our residents to be able to spend some time outdoors, we need everyone to understand there are restrictions in place and social distancing is required to visit our parks." Haines said if people don't stop going to the parks, she'll close them all! "The Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation will close the gates on county parks should the crowds become too large to be able to practice social distancing and to meet the requirements of the state regarding large groups of people gathering in one area," Haines threatened. Haines became an appointed freeholder as a political patronage appointment in 2016 and managed to win her re-election in 2019, trailing in votes behind her running mate Jack Kelly.