Greetings from the Township of Old Bridge, recently named one of the safest small cities in America, and a great place to raise a family, work and own a business. Conveniently located in Central New Jersey between New York City and the shore, Old Bridge offers residents abundant opportunities for recreation, employment, dining and shopping.
Old Bridge Township was founded upon rich family traditions and a commitment to community values. Our award-winning schools are a reflection of those founding pillars, with emphasis on character that permeates academics, athletics and the arts. Old Bridge Township Schools will always be a tremendous source of local pride and global impact. We also support two public library branches, which offer not only a comprehensive collection of books, research material and programming, but also a full array of online resources, outreach programs and passport application processing. I’m pleased to note that the Old Bridge Public Library is routinely voted as the “Best” or “One of the Best” libraries in Middlesex County by readers of the Home News Tribune.
During my administration, we have added 900 acres of open space, and our beautiful parks and beachfronts allow residents to enjoy plenty of outdoor recreation year-round. Our Department of Parks, Recreation and Social Services runs not only youth Little League baseball, football, hockey, soccer, wrestling and lacrosse leagues, but also a full array of kids and adult dance, aerobics, tumbling, cooking, arts and crafts and ceramics, all available to residents for a nominal fee. We also have a well-maintained ice arena, where students enjoy skating sessions during class trips and can take private or group lessons from U.S. Figure Skating Association coaches.
Our enormously successful Camp Robin program is designed to offer therapeutic recreation and socialization for kids and adults with special needs. Programs are available throughout the year, and there is a six-week summer program for kids. Child and teen programs feature sports – including a Special Olympics ice-skating competition – computers, and a Teen Friday Night program. Adult programs include basketball, a chorale, Zumba and Friday Night Fun and a theater program.
Our senior center, Silver Linings at Old Bridge, is accredited by the National Institute of Senior Centers and is a vital community gathering site, providing our active seniors with exercise classes, health and wellness seminars, trips and arts and crafts sessions. It also sponsors our fantastic Dancing Dudes and Divas, a competitive dance team comprised of members in their 60s, 70s and 80s, who perform at various local events, as well as at the Ms. Senior America pageant in Atlantic City!
Old Bridge is also an excellent place to do business, offering financial stability, an outstanding credit rating, controlled growth and steadily-rising property values. We have made it a priority to make the township as business-friendly as possible. To that end, our Business Alliance is an organization for shops, restaurants and other businesses to network and share tips, resources and success stories. We have hundreds of local and chain establishments scattered throughout town, including the Shoppes at Old Bridge, a major shopping destination of over 25 retail, dining and wellness businesses, conveniently located at Route 9 and Texas Road.
We are also anxiously awaiting the grand opening of our first hotel in town, a Hampton Inn which will be located on Route 18 and provide much-needed local lodging. It will be conveniently located near the Hackensack Meridian Heath Center which is currently undergoing a major expansion. In addition, we continue our partnership with Uber to provide a “Safe Ride” program, which offers free rides every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. from participating locations to residential homes in the township.
It is my honor to serve as Mayor of this vibrant, fantastic city, and I encourage everyone to THINK OLD BRIDGE.
Sincerely,
Owen Henry
Mayor