Back in April, Shorebeat published a story on Brick’s “mystery” lake – Godfrey Lake – which has no apparent owner and has remained in a state of limbo for decades as infrastructure around it has decayed.
The story was one of this website’s most-read so far in 2024, and while taking photos, neighbors quickly appeared to talk about the goings-on at the lake, which flows under Herbertsville Road next to the former Herbertsville Deli site, and how they’ve done their best to take care of it when seemingly no one else has the jurisdiction to do so. Nearby residents often clean up around the lake, trim branches and even clear paths to keep access open as a quiet place to enjoy a walk or an out-of-the-way spot for kids to go fishing.
Last week, neighbors did their part again, followed up by some of the township’s volunteer firefighters going above and beyond to help while off-duty when things went awry.
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With a culvert having been damaged over the winter, neighbors (in April, when our story was first published) built a stopgap path over a walkway that traverses much of the lake. More recently, another resident built and placed a small bridge over the pathway to make it safer for those who wanted to avoid a jump over the water to enjoy the area. But only days after the makeshift bridge was emplaced at the lake, what was apparently a dispute between teenagers ended in the bridge being removed and thrown into the water. Angry posts on social media followed, along with pleas for someone to help fish the bridge out of the approximate 18-inches of water.
A makeshift bridge to help pedestrians navigate the walking path at Godfrey Lake, Brick, N.J. (Credit: Kevin Boggio/ Facebook)
A makeshift bridge to help pedestrians navigate the walking path at Godfrey Lake, Brick, N.J. (Credit: Kevin Boggio/ Facebook)
“Sorry to say I’m older and don’t have the ability to handle these types of things any longer,” one resident and neighbor posted.
Fortunately, word of the situation made its way to members of the Herbertsville Fire Company, leading to a few of the volunteers to the lake, where they hauled the bridge structure out of the water and replaced it where it had been along the path.
A makeshift bridge to help pedestrians navigate the walking path at Godfrey Lake, Brick, N.J. (Credit: Kevin Boggio/ Facebook)
A makeshift bridge to help pedestrians navigate the walking path at Godfrey Lake, Brick, N.J. (Credit: Kevin Boggio/ Facebook)
“Our little community has many wonderful people as well,” the same resident said, amidst the negativity dredged up by the initial post.
Another resident posted about how he was removing some tree roots that had become overgrown and could have caused a tripping hazard.
But Why?
The details of the lake’s history – and how it came to be a “mystery lake” in terms of ownership – were covered in-depth in Shorebeat’s earlier story. But true to Brick Township’s spirit of neighborly pride, it was no surprise that residents kept up their efforts to make the best out of a uniquely complicated and rare scenario: a lake that no one seems to actually own.
Godfrey Lake, in the Herbertsville section of Brick Township, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Godfrey Lake, in the Herbertsville section of Brick Township, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
As our previous article reported, the township made a significant effort to find the owner of the lake about 15 years ago, when the now-retired Business Administrator and tax assessor, Scott Pezarras, said the town’s legal team performed an exhaustive title search. Records were found dating back to the 1920s, when a homeowners’ association was formed to serve the residents of what was then a seasonal bungalow community. The lake itself was owned by the president of the association – the developer of the community – who died nearly a century ago. No heirs were ever found.
Fast forward to 2024, and the answer has never emerged.
“The only option we have would be to take over the lake,” Joane Bergin, the township’s current business administrator, said at the time.
By “take over,” Bergin was referring to a special carve-out of the state’s eminent domain laws that would allow the township to condemn the lake after certifying that no living heirs of its owner can be located. That obligation has been largely fulfilled, but for officials, the saying “you don’t know what you don’t know” could prove costly. Theoretically, the township could find itself responsible for environmental cleanups, waterfront development permitting, engineering bills, safety compliance issues and a heap of red tape that could force other, long-planned park improvement projects to the wayside.
Likewise, in a meeting with county officials earlier this year, Bergin said there was no interest on their part of taking over the lake, either.
Godfrey Lake, in the Herbertsville section of Brick Township, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Occasionally, the township, using a special permit, treats the lake to prevent algae blooms, and the county will sometimes perform minor work since the lake passes under Herbertsville Road, a county roadway.
For now, the future of the lake remains in its seemingly-perpetual state of limbo, but community spirit is keeping a beloved – and often overlooked – natural area alive and accessible against the odds.
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