Ocean Grove Fishing Pier, Oct. 2014. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge. ©
From “Go Fish:”
I thought this subject was six feet under.
The fishing shack went with that Hurricane.
The few that patronized the fishing shack are now all resigned to it’s memories. Fishing still can be had from sea level to please the masses.
That pier out to the surf is a sightseeing platform now. Probably the worst on the east coast. It’s not safe at the end for anyone except Ralph.
Unfortunately the town has no money to do anything. So that’s that. Go Fish!
Editor’s Note (Paul Goldfinger, Editor–Blogfinger.net) The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association has said in the past that it wants to restore the fishing pier to its historic dimensions. But it has made no commitment to allowing the OG Fishing Club to participate in the rebuilding and/or to bring back the fishing shack. You might recall that the original pier at the Embury Ave. location was not for fishing at all.
The OGCMA has done some work at the pier, as noted above, but it is doing post-Sandy restorations in stages. The project for 2015 is the North End of the boardwalk. The Great Auditorium roof will also be done, and work is planned on Thornley Chapel. The pier has a low priority. Last year FEMA funding for the pier was denied, and the OGCMA decided not to appeal that decision.
Some have suggested that a reconstructed Pier in OG should have a gazebo at the end. Rich Amole, Blogfinger staff, found this image to suggest how a gazebo might look over there.
Submitted by Rich Amole who was “gazeboing” on Google.
Here is our last post on this subject: July 2014 pier article on BF
ROY ORBISON:
Reblogged this on shensea.
Looks like the CMA has chosen to do the right thing and side with the general citizenry of the town. A pier that will be open to us all….hurray CMA!!!
BTW, fishing is really mean and cruel to the fish.
The Fishing Club has offered to pay for the pier reconstruction through financing which they say they can qualify for. The CMA has chosen not to pursue that idea, although they haven’t publicly explained their reasons.
The OGFC did say that they wanted a long term lease in order to implement their offer. —Paul @Blogfinger
The OG Fishing Club and pier had a long history with the Grove and has done a fair amount of outreach and good works. For example, their youth fishing program in the summer.
Having said that, I agree that it seems wrong to reserve the best part of the pier for the benefit of a few. And it was super ugly and un-Victorian. It’s time to move on and create a facility open to all and that complements the town.
The key to keeping the renovated pier, whenever that occurs, open to the general public will be to avoid allowing the Fishing Club to pay for the repairs in exchange for a renewed lease. Let’s not do that, even though it seems like an easy way to fund it. Let’s raise the money another way and keep this wonderful resource open to all. How about selling planks for $100 each, selling benches, selling the Gazebo, or whatever is put at the end as a seating area?
No worries………..the only thing of real concern is “Ralph.” I hear he wants to build a summer cottage at the end of that plank walk.
When there was a fishing shack the four or so fishermen had their own island at the end of pier with a grand locked gate. I never saw anybody fishing; maybe one time in four years. It was just their grand, locked sanctuary. As if the few fishers needed CMA protection like a rare old endangered seagull.
No more. It should be a public space, not an estuary for the “Fishing Club,” which consists of one guy and his two, five, or seven of his buddies.
You really don’t want it to be out of the water like it was.
I have previously commented on this blog that I would like the former fishing pier to be extended another 15 feet or so from its current terminus where there would be a nice Victorian gazebo where all citizens of Ocean Grove might sit and admire the view.