An Ocean Pathway resident has her own sale at the 2016 edition of the spring Flea Market. Paul Goldfinger photo. ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@ Blogfinger.net
OK, OK, most of you love the giant flea market that will paralyze our town tomorrow. Thousands of out-of-towners will clog our streets and the Ocean Pathway, arriving to search for treasures among a trove of junk. There will also be food trucks saturated with fatty, carb carrying treats. I love to buy an authentic Jersey Shore sausage, pepper and onion sandwich (despite the wrath of you-know-who.)
Did you ever wonder who benefits from this extravaganza? The event is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, and they undoubtedly funnel money to the CMA. And many of these visitors will patronize the eateries and shops in town.
But what attracts all these people to Ocean Grove? What other town has such a huge event? You’d never see this in Spring Lake, for example. That is a town that cares most about its residents. Would so many people come here if OG were not such a unique and attractive town—especially along Ocean Pathway where the residents are virtually imprisoned by this event ? They wouldn’t dare schedule a personal party in their home, nor would most people in the Grove.
What do the residents get for the inconvenience? And the same applies for those street-closing car shows. And who pays the taxes that keeps the town humming and who pays to fix up the historic homes that visitors love to gawk at? And who pays a price for the noise, the crowds, and the congestion? It’s the tax payers/residents of course, but what do they get out of it? And who benefits from the Parking Committee’s plan to squeeze more spaces into a choked up town? Doesn’t the HOA speak for the people?
Sure it is an amazing event, but is it worth it for those who actually live in this town? So have a great time at the market, but remember that not everyone who lives here is happy it is happening.
MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT: “The Finland Fisch Schlapping Dance:” This event is almost as dopey as a giant flea market in a small town like OG.
I guess you got me there. It is hard to argue against nuance.
From 1947 until 1975 I lived in ocean Gove when the camp meeting association ran things. Let’s go back.
Dave I never suggested banning anything and I am not against business. You simply haven’t understood my writings on this subject which are much more nuanced than you think.
You are content with the status quo, and you may be correct as to what will happen to this town, although I fear a gradual decline because of apathy and inaction on the part of the residents and abuse by Neptune.
For example, the beautiful and unique historic preservation theme will deteriorate due to neglect of the idea that so many in town fought for.
Many towns do have a vision for themselves based on time, history, and evolution. I grew up in a small NJ town where everyone knew exactly what it was and what to expect. That was a good thing.
This town’s evolution, for better or worse, was brought to a sudden halt in 1980 and it has moved forward since then in a haphazard and sometimes discouraging way.
Paul, I have never lived in a town that had a singular vision. No matter how much we might want this to resemble other places we have lived, this is an oceanfront resort town. Those of us that live here year round, as I do, no doubt would love to have things like unlimited free parking, single family homes etc. Not likely however. Tourism is here to stay, unless we go back to a period like the early nineties when my wife and I had our choice of rediculously cheap real estate, because very few wanted to stay here.
The Flea Market is a tiny inconvenience, that’s all I was saying. There is no parking on a Saturday anyway. The Blogfinger Yard Sale brings in outsiders as well, should that be banned?
I don’t propose to have the Master Plan for our future so I will respectfully decline your invitation to offer one.
David: The problem in OG is that since the CMA was removed from governance, the town has failed to figure out what it will be in the future. So it divided up into fiefdoms; self-interested groups like the HOA, the CMA, and the CC, have left the town without a common community vision that defines what it is and what it will be.
This results in random motion without real progress. Much of what goes on here, like giant flea markets and tourist businesses, do nothing to help the citizens develop a coherent plan for the future.
Why don’t you tell us your vision for the town of Ocean Grove ? What ideas do you have to pull the community together? And what will you do to save us from predatory developers, uncaring politicians, and worsening congestion?
Do we want a town with no businesses? Isn’t the Blogfinger town-wide yard sale also a potential inconvenience? The flea market is over in a flash.
The Chamber of Commerce imposes itself on the town for this money raiser. They inconvenience everyone, and their events add wear and tear to our infrastructure including air pollution from old cars. What do they do with the money?
What does the Chamber do for the people of Ocean Grove and for the town itself? When was the last time they concerned themselves with our problems including historic preservation, high taxes, parking, lifestyles of the citizens, and dealing with an indifferent local government?
Give me the flea market. Spare me the plethora of summer rentals. At least the flea marketers go home at night.