TOMS RIVER, N.J. — With summer around the corner, Toms River’s Parks and Recreation Department is gearing up for a packed season of events and programs, according to Director Rick Perrine, who oversees Recreation, Parks, Buildings, and Grounds across the township.
Speaking with local host Jeff Dingsor on Talking Toms River, Perrine outlined the department’s wide-ranging responsibilities and highlighted a major resurgence in public events, programs, and park maintenance following years of pandemic-related disruptions.
“We’re busy all year long, especially now heading into summer,” Perrine said. “The beaches need to be open by Memorial Day weekend. The pool’s opening in a couple weeks. Day camps are starting. We’ve been planning this since the fall.”
The department maintains about 20 parks with playgrounds and playing fields, as well as over 100 additional sites such as traffic medians, easements, and public right-of-ways. In addition to these duties, Perrine’s team oversees facilities like the Snug Harbor municipal pool, Shelter Cove beach, Ortley Beach lifeguards, the Winding River Ice Rink, and the township-owned Bey Lea Golf Course.
Post-COVID recovery brings expanded programs and community events
Perrine, who joined the township last year after holding recreation leadership roles in East Brunswick and Metuchen, said that recovering from COVID-era inactivity remains a central focus.
“Two years ago, we didn’t do any events. This year, we’re doing 30,” he said. “We’re trying to get the word out that recreation is back and active again.”
Among the offerings this summer are outdoor movie nights, family concerts, fishing derbies, beach cleanups, and STEM-focused kids programs—including a crime scene investigation workshop led by former law enforcement professionals. Most events are free, while class-based programs have modest fees to offset costs.
Weekly Tuesday night events will rotate between kids concerts, outdoor movies, and live music performances for adults—all beginning at 7 p.m. and centered at Shelter Cove. Movies will also be hosted at various neighborhood parks, thanks to new LED screens that allow for earlier showtimes.
Web presence and community engagement growing
To improve accessibility and communication, the department recently launched a redesigned recreation webpage on the township’s official website, tomsrivertownship.com, complete with event listings, registration links, and subpages for beaches, parks, the golf course, and ice rink.
“We created all these subpages because people kept asking, ‘Where’s the information?’” Perrine explained. “We also use the township’s social media—Facebook and Instagram—for flyers and weekly updates.”
The township’s Bey Lea Golf Course, a public facility operated by the department, is also drawing high usage, operating near 90% capacity and serving as the home course for local high school teams.
As the season begins, Perrine encouraged residents to explore the variety of programming offered and bring forward their own ideas. “I tell my staff, bring me ideas. A lot of what we’re doing now started with ideas from staff,” he said. “We’re building, and we’re not slowing down.”
