Annual Blogfinger OG town-wide yard sale sponsored by the residents of Ocean Grove.. Paul Goldfinger photograph ©
Heck Avenue block party–an authentic neighborhood event. Click to see what they’re eating. Jean Bredin photo© Blogfinger.net
Blogfinger Commentary:
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net
In my opinion, once again, the media, made up of outsiders, miscasts the town of Ocean Grove as a predominantly religious destination. There is much in the way of Camp Meeting events and tourism in OG which should be mentioned in that APA write-up, but there is little recognition of the widely diverse citizen population which, through its investment in historic homes and the continually evolving lifestyles of the townspeople, make Ocean Grove the desirable “neighborhood” that it is. The APA doesn’t seem to understand the words “community” and “neighborhood.”
However, this neighborhood award is well deserved, even if the “spin” is lopsided.
The specific mention of our two lakes as “exceptional natural features” emphasizes the importance of those bodies of water and should light a fire under the Wesley Lake Commission to do something significant about the dirty street water flowing into the Lake and ultimately into the ocean off our shores.
As for the idea that the Chamber of Commerce and the OGCMA deserve special mention for “creating an overall sense of community,” that is simply not true. The write-up indicates that the APA failed to do its homework in evaluating our town.
Those two groups are interested predominantly in their individual agendas, and along with Neptune Township, fail utterly to help the citizens who live in the Grove develop a stronger sense of community identity, rewarding lifestyles, and fine neighborhoods.
And finally, Neptune Township cannot take credit for the planning and evolution of our town. The planning began with the CMA during the 19th century, and it was the citizens who pushed for the historic designations in the late 20th. It is the residents of this town and not tourists or Neptuners who can claim credit for our lifestyles and desirability as a community.
Blogfinger demands that only Ocean Grovers attend the award ceremony. Neptune Township—sit down and stay home!
KERMIT RUFFINS:
The APA announcement of the award basically regurgitated information about OG from the OGCMA. And the fact that the other “Great Neighborhood” award this year goes to Pier Village indicates the ludicrousness of this award and the NJ chapter of the American Planning Association.
In 1878 and 1879, the planning for the street-grid and the development of Ocean Grove, was prepared and subsequently developed under the supervision of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (CMA), independent of Neptune Township.
Rev. Elwood Stokes was Chairman of the 9 member Planning Committee.
The most innovative part of the CMA plan was the “flared setback” for the houses along the first two Ocean Blocks.
The flare would funnel sea breezes into the town, and on a hot summer night you could enjoy a cool breeze and a cold lemonade on the front porch.
The only planning that the Neptune Township Committee can take credit for is the plan for the North End, and if that monstrosity is ever built, it will destroy the historic character of the Town that Elwood Stokes so carefully planned.