News
'Grand Old Lady' Lives Again At Thompson Park
By John Burton
Rebuilt visitor center opens to the public
MIDDLETOWN - Destroyed by fire three years ago, the newly reconstructed visitor center for Thompson Park is once again available for the public.
County officials celebrated and dedicated the visitor center's grand opening on Sunday at the park located in the township's Lincroft section, with Freeholder Lillian Burry proclaiming the new center reflects the character of the original structure which had been demolished when engulfed by flames in Feb. 2006. "One might say the 'Grand Old Lady' lives again," Burry was quoted as saying on Sunday, according to a press statement released by the county this week.
Thompson Park, a former family-owned farm, is 215 acres located on Newman Springs Road/Route 520, which had been donated to the county parks system by its owner Geraldine Thompson in 1968, with the understanding that the land, "should be open to all," according to Gail Hunton, project manager for the center restoration project and supervising historic preservation specialist for the Monmouth County Parks System.
The visitor center had been housed in the farmhouse mansion, originally constructed in the 1890s, renovated in the early 2000s, but completely destroyed by the 2006 fire.
With the insurance money from the fire, the park system undertook reconstructing the building on it original footprint and recreating much of the look of the original structure.
"Geraldine Thompson would be proud over what the Monmouth County Park System has been able to accomplish in the recreation of the building," this week said Laura Kirkpatrick, county public information officer.
The original structure, however, did not have an elevator, and really had insufficient space for twice monthly Board of Recreation Commission meetings. The new building has been redesigned for greater access, as well as now allowing additional space for park system programs, and for an exhibit that tells the story of Thompson Park and the park system through a display of photos and other memorabilia, according to Kirkpatrick.
Given that the county park system will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, this addition to the building is a good way to begin that celebration, Kirkpatrick said.
As for the changes made to the original design, Hunton suspected, "I really do feel that Geraldine Thompson, who was a very practical person in many ways, would have done the same thing."
Thompson, "would have taken tragedy and made it into an opportunity," Hunton said.
The new structure, totaling approximately 20,000 square feet, cost about $8.7 million to construct, including the cost of the salvage contract and other associated costs. The insurance settlement was sufficient to cover the cost of the building's furnishings and contents, according to the county's Public Information Office.
The Thompson Park Visitor Center will be open to the public Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
