The new pavilion at Griffin Park sits on the Shrewsbury River. It has covered seating, ramp access and a deck built for looking at the water. It opened this year, in the same season the borough told residents the ocean beach on the other side of town was due for heavy equipment.
That split is the story of Monmouth Beach this winter. Nearly everything the borough finished in 2026 is on the river side, and so is nearly everything it has funded next. The ocean side has a bigger, longer project ahead of it. The parts of town that are ready for a November walk face the river.
What's planned for the ocean side
In July, Monmouth Beach learned that the Army Corps of Engineers would do a partial sand replenishment in town. The work covers the stretch from the Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion north to the Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club, an erosion "hot spot" behind the two high-rise buildings on the oceanfront. Patch reported that the $38.3 million contract covers Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright and Long Branch, with 1.3 million cubic yards of sand across the three towns.
Mayor Tim Somers wrote in the borough's Fall 2026 newsletter that the project "should begin this November and be completed by March." He credited the letter-writing campaign he started last summer, and the hundreds of letters residents sent, with helping "move the needle just enough."
That's a full winter set aside for the ocean beach. The same newsletter describes a different kind of year on the river side, where the work is mostly finished.
Griffin Park is the finished piece
Griffin Park sits by Griffin Street on the Shrewsbury River. The state's public access plan lists ballfields, playgrounds, restrooms and parking there. Commissioner Dave Stickle reported this fall that new exercise stations were added along the park's walking path and that the new ADA-accessible waterfront pavilion with a river-viewing deck is complete. A Community Development Block Grant paid for a large share of it. Security cameras were also installed to cut down on vandalism.
Spartan Construction, which built the replacement pavilion, describes accessible walkways, ramp access and covered seating, next to the playground and walking paths. A covered spot with a river view is useful all year, and it's the newest thing on the waterfront.
Griffin Park was also the main stage for this year's 250th celebration. Mayor Somers thanked the volunteers who staffed the events there. The four days included a car show, fireworks, a parade, field day events, a time capsule opening and a block party. The patriotic crosswalk at Beach Road and Riverdale Avenue came out of the same celebration, and the mayor wrote that town officials from across the region asked about it.
The borough also scheduled the Griffin Park parking lot for paving this fall.
The river side, project by project
Every project in this table is on the river or one of its creeks. Outside grants are named behind the pavilion, Brower Park and the Tocci Avenue launch.
| Project | Location | Funding named by the borough or county | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfront pavilion and river-viewing deck | Griffin Park, Shrewsbury River | Community Development Block Grant | Completed |
| Exercise stations on the walking path | Griffin Park | Part of the Griffin Park improvements | Added this year |
| West Street boat ramp | End of West Street, near the marina | Borough project | Complete and fully operational |
| Brower Park, also called Shorelands Park | Monmouth Parkway and North Road | Monmouth County grant, $150,000 in the 2023 round | Renovations scheduled to begin this fall |
| Kayak and paddleboard launch | End of Tocci Avenue at Manahasset Creek | $100,000 Monmouth County Park System grant, 2026 | Expected in 2027 |
Commissioner Larry Bolsch described the approach in the same newsletter. The borough improved Griffin Street Park and is now improving Brower Park through "the planning and aggressive pursuit of funding." He said the borough operates on $.26 of every tax dollar collected. On the river side, that grant money shows up as a pavilion, a park renovation and a paddle launch.
A riverside loop for a short November day
Sunset now comes in late afternoon, so an off-season outing on this side of town has to start early. All of these stops sit close together.
- Coffee on Beach Road. Booskerdoo lists its Monmouth Beach cafe at 36 Beach Road, Suite 9, with hours every day of the week. A few doors away, My Kitchen Witch at 29 Beach Road lists breakfast, lunch and a juice bar seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Off-season hours can change, so call ahead.
- The walking path at Griffin Park. The exercise stations are new along the path, and the pavilion deck is the place to stop and look at the river.
- The West Street ramp. It's at the end of West Street near the marina, and the borough reports it complete and fully operational.
- Sunset at Beach Tavern. The restaurant is at 33 West Street, a short walk from the ramp. Beach Tavern says its dining rooms give every seat a view of the Shrewsbury River, "which is breathtaking at sunset, all year round." It has 12 beers on tap and a 100-bottle wine list, and its posted happy hour runs noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays, noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and noon to close on Sunday.
The route works in November because the river side faces west, and Beach Tavern was built around that view.
What's next on the river
Brower Park, also called Shorelands Park, at Monmouth Parkway and North Road is the next big riverside project. The borough's plan calls for a new children's playground, an activity area, picnic tables, benches and an ADA-compliant walkway along the river, with new grass and plantings chosen for the riverside setting. Commissioner Stickle thanked Recreation Committee members Darren Weinstein and Colleen Campbell for helping with the redesign. Once it's built, Monmouth Beach will have two river parks with accessible paths along the water.
The kayak and paddleboard launch comes after that. The Monmouth County Park System lists the $100,000 award as the "Griffin Park/Tocci Ave Boat Ramp and Kayak Launch." The borough's public hearing notice places the ramp and launch work at the end of Tocci Avenue on Manahasset Creek, and Patch reported in September that the launch there will be dedicated to kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. The borough expects that work to be finished in 2027.
A small project on a nearby street is also on the borough's list. Seaview Avenue, from Beach Road to Cottage Road, is scheduled for new paving and drainage this fall, paid for by an NJDOT grant.
December at 128 Ocean Avenue
The town's indoor calendar runs through the Monmouth Beach Cultural Center at 128 Ocean Avenue. Two December dates are set:
- Holiday Decoration Exhibit: Tuesday, December 1, through Friday, December 18, according to the borough newsletter.
- Holiday Party: Saturday, December 5, on the Cultural Center schedule.
- Parking: The Center asks visitors to use its dedicated spots on the south side of the building, by the ramp.
The Christmas Tree and Menorah lighting is one of the Recreation Committee's annual events, along with the Easter Egg Hunt, Youth Soccer and the Striper Tournament.
If you own on the river side of Monmouth Beach, a new pavilion, an operating ramp and a park renovation within walking distance all help explain what a home there is worth. The Mallan Group watches this side of town closely. Get your free home valuation and we'll show you how this year's riverfront improvements fit into your home's value.
