View of the Casino (AP property)  from the OG fire site.    If the heavy trucks come from the south on Ocean Avenue, they would turn right onto the entrance to the Surfers’ Beach (see below) Blogfinger photo 4/22/19. ©

This is the beach access if the trucks come through the Casino. Note the barriers. Blogfinger photograph © 4/25/19

This is the surfers’ beach access by Atlantic Ave. and Seaview if the trucks come north on Ocean. Blogfinger photo © 4/25/19.

By Jack Bredin and Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net

When the April 14 North End fire wreckage was turned into two piles of rubble overnight, we celebrated because we imagined that soon it would all be carted away, leaving us to walk by a beautiful new view of the ocean;  but not so fast!

We were told on 4/15, by two CMA employees, that the CMA was going to work with the White Whale’s owner to clean up the mess and that “the Township would not take part,” but it now is evident that the Township is indeed poking its beak into the middle of this project.

At  the regular Monday meeting of the Township Committee on April 22, during the 6 pm Workshop Meeting, the Township Business Administrator, Vito Gadaleta, announced that he had met with the Department of Environmental Protection, the building owner, and the CMA to discuss the situation.

He referred to the “Cleanup Project” when he discussed the removal of the rubble.  This is to be distinguished from the next phase where once the cleanup is complete, the beach would “have to be returned to its ‘last beach replenishment condition.'”

Mayor Rizzo asked  “who is responsible for this staged procedure?”

Gadaleta replied that the Camp Meeting Association has to do it because “they own the land.”

Blogfinger has previously questioned that conclusion regarding who owns the lot on which the White Whale used to sit. We believe that the State of New Jersey  holds the land “in trust” for the people of the State.

The Pavilion occupied only part of that lot.  It was the second largest building in the Grove, after the Great Auditorium, so the lot’s future is understandably in question.  But, putting that ownership issue aside for now, here is what Gadaleta said:

“The plan is to bring in 100 yard tractor trailers to cart away the rubble.”   It is unclear as to how those large heavy trucks will get access to the beach.

One idea is to get permission from Asbury Park to drive the trucks from the north through the Casino and then onto the Asbury beach, at the access part, just before the border with Ocean Grove.

The second plan might be to bring the trucks up Ocean Avenue from the south and enter the Surfers’ Beach  via a right turn through a cement access at the boardwalk which currently exists.

But engineering assessments need to be done if those trucks can enter the beach using either of the two proposals. There was no mention of such an assessment at the meeting.

After the debris is removed, the CMA must first get DEP permission for the plan to restore the beach.

As we have said in the past, the North End Redevelopment Plan is under the supervision of the Neptune Township Committee, so that seems to be what’s going on now, but it’s interesting that the CMA will agree to pay for all this when there is some question about whether they actually own that land.

It appears that the CMA will not quarrel over this ownership issue because they are deeply involved in the current controversy about the North End Redevelopment Plan.

Gadaleta said that the NERP has nothing to do with the Pavilion matter, but the fact is, if one reads the original NERP, which is still officially in play, the White Whale property is part of that, whether or not the Township and the CMA want to admit it, as they navigate stormy waters surrounding that Redevelopment Plan, which is something Blogfinger will stay on top of.

We have no information as to when we can expect those trucks to come rolling in.  Meanwhile you can look straight ahead into the barren Casino, look leftward at the barren North End property, or look to the right at the 2 piles.   Another alternative is to walk backwards and look south at lovely Ocean Grove. You will need a rear view mirror, but don’t look at the mess with rose colored glasses, until we hear those trucks rumbling into town.

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