'People matter more than Pickleball': Thousands rally to save N.J. church slated to become park [View all]

May 22, 2025
By Nyah Marshall | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Toms River officials are facing backlash over a plan to seize property belonging to a local church to create a waterfront park.

More than 6,500 people have signed a petition launched earlier this month to save Christ Episcopal Church property on Washington Street from being seized through eminent domain.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has also raised nearly $15,000 to help the church fight the town’s plans.

The campaigns were created in response to Toms River introducing an ordinance last month to acquire four properties through eminent domain — including the nearly 11-acre Christ Episcopal Church site.

https://www.nj.com/news/2025/05/people-matter-more-than-pickleball-thousands-rally-to-save-nj-church-slated-to-become-park.html

I happen to live not too far from Toms River. This issue arose when the church proposed opening a 17-bed homeless shelter on its property last fall. As far as I know, there are no homeless shelters in Ocean County. The church has an outreach center providing food, clothes and other help to people in need. Some Toms River residents vehemently objected to the shelter plan, which would require a zoning variance.

Now town officials, who I think are all Republicans, want to seize the church property through eminent domain and turn it into a waterfront park with soccer fields and pickleball courts. The church happens to be next door to the Toms River Country Club, which has its wn tennis and pickleball courts.

Church leaders say the town's plan to seize the property is retaliation for the homeless shelter proposal. -- Wicked Blue