Brick to Use Haven’s Farm Property to Help Fitness Businesses Open Outdoors

Havens Homestead, Brick, N.J. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Brick is freeing up space for exercise and fitness businesses to temporarily move their enterprises outdoors to comply with state regulations that prevent them from operating indoors.

Haven’s Farm is located on several acres off Hebertsville Road, adjacent to the Haven’s Homestead museum and related properties. Under the township’s plan, businesses will apply for a permit to conduct activities such as exercise classes, dance classes, yoga or similar at the farm.

“This location has ample parking, there’s a natural buffer for residential properties and the area can be split into four different fields,” said Mayor John Ducey, who proposed the plan to the township council after reading e-mails from struggling business owners.

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“We asked for businesses to let us know how we could help them open quicker and with more capacity, and I did get a number of e-mails from business owners about having exercise classes, dance classes and things like that at our parks,” said Ducey.

Because of the breadth of space, available parking and distance from residential homes, Haven’s Farm was the “ideal choice,” the mayor said. While businesses can also use their parking lots for such activities, some do not have the space to do so.

“If they’re sharing a parking lot, it’s difficult for them,” said Ducey.

The township council earlier this week voted unanimously to allow businesses to apply for time and space at the farm property. Businesses will need an insurance certificate and follow social distancing guidelines set by the state to control the spread of coronavirus.

“We want to make sure these businesses can open,” said Ducey. “We’re doing what we can here locally; the governor is just going way too slow for myself and, I think, for most business owners.”

Businesses can apply the same way they would apply to use a park or any other location for a special event.