Ocean City Plans Overhaul of Popular Recreational Area in 2026

Ocean City has given the go-ahead to $7.5 million bond ordinance to fund the renovation of the Sandcastle Park Recreation Complex at 34th Street and West Avenue.

According to Mayor Jay Gillian, the plans include resurfaced courts for pickleball, tennis, and basketball.

Mayor Announces Renovation to Sandcastle Park Recreation Complex

Other aspects of Sandcastle Park Recreation Complex will include a state-of-the-art playground, a picnic pavilion, a small outdoor stage for special events, and a basketball court for kids with disabilities, according to the Mayor.

An indoor space at the complex will also include a new multipurpose building containing restrooms, meeting rooms, and socialization space.

Ocean City officials are expecting supply-chain issues and anticipate that the playground equipment won’t arrive for five to seven months.

With that in mind, Ocean City has decided that construction on the project at 34th Street and West Avenue is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026.

The renovation will be offset by $3.5 million in grants from Cape May County.

A Look Back at Sandcastle Park

For the last 30 years, Sandcastle Park has been one of the most popular playgrounds for families and kids in South Jersey.

The playground received some upgrades in 2009, but this update will be far more extensive.

Since 1948, there has been a public recreation area in-between West Avenue and Asbury Avenue on 34th Street.

Ocean City's 34th Street corridor includes an ACME Supermarket, an old-school Wawa convenience store, a CVS Pharmacy, a gas station, and a mini-golf course.

Overall, the project will also feature the following amenities:

- Two basketball courts
- Five new pickleball courts
- A large playground with a rubberized surface
-  Six tennis courts
-New lights to allow adults and children to use the playground and recreation areas after dark