Firemen’s Park, Ocean Grove, NJ.. September 23, 2020. Paul Goldfinger photograph.
Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
The Camp Meeting Association, the Neptune Township Committee, and the OG Fire Department are responsible for this very public symbol of our town: concentration camp decor for our most visible public park. This place is the face of the Grove especially now when we have so many new people staying in town and with many visiting Firemen’s Park.
We live near the park and we have seen people park their cars just to spend a few minutes walking their dogs. We have seen kids climb that dangerous fence to retrieve an errant ball. While the fence was accidentally left open in recent weeks, people were drawn into the center to read the bell’s inscription, to sit down and relax, or just stand there for a chat. Children like to run around in there and touch the bell.
A picture when freedom temporarily rang at the bell a couple of weeks ago. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge. Re-post 9/20. Note that this photo was not a set-up. They were in there when I approached and asked them to look at the camera.
Paul Goldfinger,MD. Editor, Blogfinger.net
This locked fencing is a horrid symbol of ugly restriction in a free country where, in this case, we are willing to indicate indifference to the idea of freedom in such a glaring way.
Is this how we want to welcome visitors? And, ironically, right next to this lock-up, the American flag flies.
Where is the Historical Society of Ocean Grove? Where are the Home Groaners? What do they stand for? And how about the American Flag which flies at the foot of Main Avenue overlooking the ocean? And the people of Ocean Grove: what do they stand for?
Can we ever play “America the Beautiful” in this town? Is there any other public park in America where the people are locked out?
Mr. Badger, tear down that fence!
THE TANGLEWOOD FESTIVAL CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA.
There are no fences around any other monuments in town including the fountain in Founders Park which cost over $100,000 to restore.
Other sites which also are not fenced or locked include the Stokes statue, the Civil War canon, the WW I and II memorials, and the various historic urns around town. Why is this bell any different?
Unlock it, take down the ugly fence and the dangerous shrubs and let freedom ring.
Despicable. We need to contact the Camp Meeting and the Code Enforcement with our objections. Do they just do what they want willy nilly and think they’re above the rules? Arrogant, elitist, and unpatriotic! Thank you Paulie D and Jack Br.
The fence serves little purpose other than degrading the ambience of the park. A graffiti artist could easily climb the fence. Dr. Stokes stands in full glory on Ocean Pathway without the protection of a fence. Let’s free the bell.
As Jack Bredin indicated, a Fireman was severely injured when he was impaled on a fence spike. Ironically, the Firemen was decorating the park for the Christmas Season. The danger alone is reason enough to remove the fence.
Neptune zoning does not permit a fence like that on any property in Ocean Grove.
It’s dangerous, and a fireman has already been seriously injured on that fence.
If any OG resident were to put up a similar fence, the Code Enforcing Officer would be knocking on their door within relative promptitude.
The CMA should do the right thing and take the fence down.
Some would say that we also lock out the public at our bridges across Wesley Lake, but that practice is only during the night and is a necessary way to control crime over there.
For those who see no difference, you may have an argument there, but our polling shows that most Grovers approve of those locks.
Do Grovers also approve of the Firemen’s Park locks, we don’t know.
The difference may be necessary or not necessary
Paul @Blogfinger.
Is Firemen’s Park really a “public place” since the Camp Meeting owns it? Of course it is, just as the boardwalk is a public place, as argued by the CMA and Neptune Township during the post-Sandy applications for public funds.