Metuchen has a new downtown gathering space eyed for beer garden events

METUCHEN – The borough has a new downtown park space, on the site of the former Manasquan Bank drive-thru, which in its planned permanent iteration will be known as the Thomas Mundy Peterson Park, in honor of the borough's most famous resident.

The property, off Main Street, was donated by Manasquan Bank to the borough. The site has been landscaped, painted, repurposed and outfitted with tables, chairs and string lights, with much of the work done by borough public works employees, to create the pocket park.

During a ceremony last week opening the first phase of the park, Mayor Jonathan Busch said the borough inquired about acquiring the bank drive-thru area when the Manasquan Bank began discussing plans to construct a new building across the street and selling its former branch building.

He met with Manasquan Bank CEO Jim Vaccarro who agreed to consider the idea, and then a few weeks later Vaccaro told him that upon completion of the bank's new building the bank would give the drive-thru property to the borough at no cost to taxpayers.

Busch said the pocket park is different from other borough parks, which is what makes it unique.

"Downtown spaces like these help define communities. Whether you’re here during the day or you decide to enjoy your evening under these lights, this place is now a downtown focal point, a meeting area, a place to relax. People come to intimate spaces like these to get some shade, have meals or coffee with friends and of course, they are places to have events," said Busch, who first spoke about plans for the pocket park during 2021 Borough Council reorganization meeting.

Future plans include hosting a beer garden-type event in the park.

Real estate: 6 amazing Central Jersey home listings you must see

Earlier this year Busch said the pocket park would be constructed in two phases – first as a transitional or pop-up plan designed to ensure that the space can be enjoyed as soon as possible; and then a permanent plan that will align with whatever is developed on the neighboring property.

As part of the next phase of the project, over the next year with the help of a portion of a $250,000 grant from the state budget, the borough will be working with its planner to create a permanent iteration of the park, with input from the public. The permanent iteration will be known as the Thomas Mundy Peterson Park, the mayor said.

While nearby Perth Amboy has long honored Peterson as the first Black person to vote in the United States under the 15th Amendment and casting his vote in that waterfront community, Peterson was a native of Metuchen.

Busch said from the perspective of American history, Thomas Mundy Peterson is Metuchen’s most important and famous resident.

Peterson was born in Metuchen in 1824, just 20 years after New Jersey became the first state in the union to end slavery and eventually moved to Perth Amboy where his historic vote was cast on March 31, 1870, Busch said.

"It is incredible to think that Peterson lived through the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, he witnessed reconstruction and its ultimate demise, he watched Jim Crow laws ravage our nation and the Supreme Court’s shameful ‘separate but equal’ decision in Plessy v. Ferguson," Busch said.

"In Metuchen, there are streets, buildings and parks named after so many different people but none of our places honor the lifetime of our most famous resident – until today. As our borough moves through the steps associated with the permanent iteration of this space, we will be doing so in the name of Thomas Mundy Peterson because this is the future site of Thomas Mundy Peterson Park. We honor his courage, his patriotism, and everything his first vote stands for," Busch said.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Metuchen NJ downtown park space eyed for beer garden