New Jersey Avenue Bridge at the OG side. Photo June, 2018. Paul Goldfinger image.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.net 2019. Some minor editing in this 2023 version.
We all are aware that some folks from A. Park have complained about locking those two Wesley Lake bridge gates every day from midnight to 5 am. Neptune Township Police Department has been satisfied with this crime-preventing procedure and so have most people in Ocean Grove.
Rumblings about this have appeared in the past, and recently the Coaster made it a front page issue just because some troubled Asbury Councilwoman complained publicly.
Then, at the June 24, 2019 Neptune Committee meeting, a handful of Asburians showed up to demand that the gates be removed. Why? What are the damages?
At the milder end of the spectrum are some who find the gates to be visually offensive, especially if they are locked. The gates are locked in order to reduce the flow of late nighters congregating on both sides. There are no other nefarious reasons.
Some years ago I interviewed the Neptune Police Chief who said that he had tried everything, without success, to reduce crime on both sides of the bridges, and the OG gates with locks at night were successful.
Ocean Grove has its shares of crime, often small-time, but never without an element of fear and concern. The Neptune Township government has a responsibility, according to the Township Attorney, Gene Anthony, who said, “The first responsibility of a governing body is to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the residents.” He said this to reinforce the reasons for the gates.
But what other damages are there to justify this bloated complaint? What significant harm do those locked gates inflict?
Yes, they cause some inconvenience for those who get caught in A. Park after midnight, but there are other ways home.
One of the speakers at the public session of the meeting who wants the gates removed was the Chairwoman of the Wesley Lake Commission, a body supposedly devoted to cleaning up the Lake. But Gail Rosewater of Asbury Park and her colleagues have failed at that, so are they now seeking a political cause to fuss over? She ought to do her official job at Wesley Lake and butt out of policing decisions in Ocean Grove.
Another speaker at that public session said that Ocean Grove was guilty of racism, and somehow she managed to attack the Camp Meeting Association in the same breath while mentioning the KKK.
Does Ms. Rosewater want to associate herself with such an ignorant and paranoid colleague? Or is she so imbued with political correctness as to reveal herself to have poor judgement as a public official?
There are other elements to the discussion, such as related to parking, but really Neptune Township should just say, “No!” and end the discussion.
These Asburians came into our House last night to make demands on Neptune Township and they don’t even deserve the time of day.
Remember when we asked their City Council to support our bid for FEMA/Sandy funds? They refused: one of their reasons was the bridges and the other was about the irrelevant Pavilion matter of 2007.
And last year Mayor Williams went to them for help in dealing with our Asbury-related parking problems, and they told him to “jump in the lake” or “go fly a kite.”
It’s Ocean Grove’s 150th Anniversary. Let’s ignore this worthless “tempest in a teapot” and get on with the celebration.
HOLLYWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: “Fly a Kite.” from the movie The Kite Runner.
We live between the two bridges and try to park near our home, but it is usually impossible during the summer.
A few weeks ago, they put in new water lines and then paved Asbury Avenue. We, the taxpayers, paid for this. So, in effect, we paid for a free parking lot for people going to Asbury Park.
What the people on the AP Council fail to understand is that while their city enforces and follows RSIS state mandated parking requirements for all new housing, Neptune refuses to follow state law and protect the people of OG. That is why, even the smallest number of cars from AP becomes a major problem for OG residents.
Opening the gates may benefit their businesses, but it will only worsen a problem that Neptune continues to ignore at the peril of OG residents.
I am100% behind the locking of the gates at night.
Kevin Chambers
Unlock the gates so some drunk kid can get to their car faster in the middle of the night? Ocean Grove has to get back to some wholesome roots where we get to fight an inebriated ass, fist-pumping and yelling with his bros as he stumbles onto his Neptune-sponsored free parking space. I know. I live near the northern bridge.
That guy is going to have enough trouble just getting his key to go into his locked SUV. So let’s not give him any more kind access and free services from Ocean Grove and Neptune. Enriching Asbury bars is an activity that does not comport with the CMA mission. Enriching Asbury bars by allowing Asbury patrons to steal access to Neptune residents should enrage the counsel, not some narrow, academic and spaced-out civil rights phantom.
I lived in OG for several years experiencing what is good about a small town. I remember, as a local teen, when there were no vehicles allowed to drive there on Sundays. It makes sense to me to keep the bridge gates locked at night for safety concerns.
I have mostly agreed w/Blogfinger’s stances concerning what is good & just for residents of OG. Am emotionally invested in it remaining a place proud to call one’s home.
Although I am not a resident now, I am still keeping informed & updated on matters that influence quality of life there.
This misguided idea does nothing for Ocean Grove.
Mayor Carol Rizzo is quoted below:
The Coaster June 19, 2019
“Discussion Continues on Footbridge Gates in Ocean Grove”
By DON STINE
Neptune Township Mayor Carol Rizzo said:
“While I certainly welcome the opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue with my counterparts in Asbury Park, my responsibility is to the residents that call Neptune home. This is still under discussion but we will not be forced into making a decision that serves no other purpose than to make it easier for visitors to spend their money in Asbury Park, especially at the expense of the tranquility and safety of our Ocean Grove neighborhood,” she said.
Retired: “Exactly right”
If the the Asbury Park councilwoman is looking for issues, she should take a walk on Main Street, Asbury Park, or talk to the businesses on Cookman Avenue and surrounding streets regarding the throngs of late night revelers who urinate and fight on the sidewalks.
Did this same Councilwoman vote for the private beach club at the north end of Asbury Park?
Clean up your own house before you dump your garbage on someone else’s lawn.
Some of the complainers in the past have been Grovers who like to stay out late. Read the comments under the 2013 article linked below. PG
At the public portion of the Neptune Township Committee meetings only residents of Neptune should be permitted to speak.
If these people live in Asbury Park and our gates are locked at midnight how is this inconveniencing them? Why do they want to come to Ocean Grove at 1 am? I don’t know of any bars open in Ocean Grove at that hour.
They just want some more free parking so people can come to their bars, rock clubs, and restaurants and then return to their cars in Ocean Grove whenever they want.
Removing the gates is a win for them, a loss for us.
Here’s a link to a 2013 BF post about this topic, with 50 comments.
https://wp.me/pqmj2-kKz