Put on a happy face? April 16, 2023 at the Ocean Grove pier opening event. The crowd surges forward. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net. 4/16/23. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
I walked among the crowd as Michael Badger and his VIP’s gave speeches. The sound system was poor, and some shouted “louder!” from the back. The large audience was surging forward, wanting to be among the first to step onto the pier.
I overheard some say that the pier was “amazing” and that they were enjoying the festivities. There was concern about rain, and the main focus was to cut the ribbon and allow everyone to flow onto the exciting new OG/CMA pier.
There was milling about, religious testimonials, big shots speaking, Camp Meeting self -congratulations, and the crowd seeking bragging rights to be the first on board. There was also talk of thanking God and Jesus for completing this project, but also speakers spoke of fundraising and heroes who helped during the long haul.
Most of the speeches drifted over and past the crowd.
The throng was enthused and why not be enthused? It took 11 years after Sandy to rebuild the OG Fishing Pier. Other Jersey Shore towns were completely restored after a couple of years post-Sandy.
Why have the citizens of Ocean Grove been held up for such an unreasonable length of time?
There is a distraction in the air. It brought back the struggles engaging with FEMA 10 years ago and about how the private CMA tried to get public funds for the pier as with the boardwalk, but that effort failed.
Since the pier is a public thoroughfare, the main focus of these festivities should have spelled out how the pier would benefit the OG public. What will the programming be? And how about the traditional historic pier activity of fishing? But I didn’t hear the “F word.”
And I couldn’t help wonder if the CMA was insecure enough to “get out the vote” to make sure that its supporters would be present in predominant numbers today because could they count on the secular residential crowd to show? They knew that the press would be present, and they weren’t thinking of Blogfinger. The Coaster was conducting interviews on the pier.
And why no music? In America we play music at celebrations. We love music at happy events. Sousa loved to play in the Grove. It reminded me of the CMA’s 4th of July parade absent a single real marching band.
When the crowd was finally allowed to file forward, it did so en masse, in an orderly throng, and in near silence— just some low amplitude conversations and socializing. No cheering, horn blowing, singing, applause or even much smiling. Not much laughter. The people seemed a bit grim at that moment .
But if there was an element of edginess, could the Camp Meeting be feeling the pressure of all the recent publicity where the press focused on what was perceived as a provocative church vs state controversy—the cross design? Someone told me that Fox News was discussing the situation that morning. And other venues were weighing in such as NJ.com and APP. Is this hype going anywhere? Or is this really fake news?
Were the CMA supporters putting on a happy face as they were wondering about their OG future?
Once again, as has been their prior style, the CMA was today focused on itself rather than the entire town of Ocean Grove. Will they consider some policy changes as they meet more resistance in town?
And what will they do with the new pier? Will it be like before–a place to take a walk or fish, or will it also be something else? And the shape of a cross? Would the complainers settle down? I think so, but the controversy will keep coming up.
I stopped by the next morning–Sunday. There were less than 10 people on the pier at 8 am. Soon the “Camp Meeting Association Pier” will become like before and will be enjoyed by many Grovers and tourists, and that will be fine, and hopefully no future storm will be able to knock it down.
And will a worried CMA be able to put on a happy face as the summer season begins?
ANNIE ROSS AND GERRY MULLIGAN with Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.”