Mr. Ralph del Campo of the OGCMA has been getting some high powered help lately from consultants in planning the second FEMA appeal. In addition to the experts who have weighed in since after Sandy, some new heavy hitters have joined the effort. Thanks to the Governor’s office, Ocean Grove is benefiting from advisors who have experience dealing with FEMA dating back to the post-Katrina situation including some who are former high level FEMA officials.
This level of expert help added to the assistance provided by the Governor’s staff, Rep. Chris Smith in Washington, and knowledgeable Neptune Township “professionals” has given augmented hope to the CMA as it plans to submit its latest appeal “as soon as possible”—perhaps by mid-August and then with an anticipated answer by Thanksgiving. The CMA continues to engage in a measured strategy: “We’re working away at it and we want to be realistic,” says Mr. delCampo.
The assessment of our appeal will be organized in Washington, D.C., and last week a teleconference was held with FEMA officials to discuss technical aspects of the appeal. Mr. delCampo says that we are beginning to explain to such officials that our town is unique and that our boardwalk is distinctive when compared to many classic Jersey Shore towns. Ours has no commercial element, and there is a strong argument to explain how our boards serve important public functions involving safety, emergency care and economic enhancements for all the towns in our region.
He thinks that FEMA is beginning to understand our argument. He hopes that this new look in our direction will bring a “totally fresh understanding” of who we are in Ocean Grove.
Ocean Grove boardwalk. July, 2008. Paul Goldfinger photo
Saturday, June 1, 2013. 12:15 p.m. Blogfinger received word shortly after noon today from the OGCMA about the denial.
Dr. Dale Whilden, President of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association said, in an email to BF, “We just received official and very disappointing word this morning from FEMA denying our appeal. The Asbury Park Press learned of this prior to our being contacted by either FEMA or elected officials and ran the article you may have seen in the paper today.” (see below for APP link)
Camp Meeting Association Issues Press Release:
Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, “Deeply Disappointed” in FEMA Denial,
Vows to Continue Seeking Funding for Recovery Efforts
(Saturday June 1, 2013) The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA) has learned from elected officials that OGCMA’s appeal for boardwalk/beach repairs has been rejected by FEMA, and has vowed to continue seeking funding for recovery efforts.
“We continue to remain committed to rebuilding our boardwalk and beachfront, and anticipate, that at the end of the process, funding will be obtained, based on the services we provide and the urgent needs of our community,” said OGCMA Interim COO Ralph Del Campo.
Because OGCMA is a non-profit organization, FEMA funding regulations differ from those for municipalities. The Camp Meeting has argued that it provides the same municipal services on the beachfront that every other town does: life-saving emergency benefits including lifeguards; complete public beach access; and a public thoroughfare that supports emergency services and connects to other communities.
Under FEMA guidelines, municipalities can be reimbursed for repairs to recreational facilities, but non-profit organizations cannot. However, a secondary appeal as permitted by FEMA is being evaluated by OGCMA as well as elected officials.
OGCMA continues to receive support from all local, state and federal officials, including Neptune Committeeman Randy Bishop, Neptune Township Mayor Eric Houghtaling, NJ State Senator Jennifer Beck, US Senator Robert Menendez, US Congressman Chris Smith, and Governor Chris Christie. On Tuesday, May 28, the Governor visited Ocean Grove and reiterated his support.
“We are deeply disappointed in FEMA’s rejection of our appeal,” said OGCMA President Dr. Dale C. Whilden. “Throughout this lengthy and frustrating appeal process, hundreds of individual volunteers, community groups, religious organizations, businesses and other supporters stepped forward to enable OGCMA to open its beachfront on Memorial Day weekend. We are incredibly grateful to all of our supporters. Through our TOGETHER Campaign as well as all other available means, we will continue our recovery efforts and welcome families and visitors to our shorefront this summer, as we have for over 140 years.”
Editor’s Note: In the APP article, you will find quotes by State Senator Beck and by Neptune Councilwoman Mary Beth Jahn. Mention was made of a possible second appeal. It should also be noted that the CMA is prepared to seek other sources of financial help and that the Trustees of the CMA have already given or pledged over $600,000, but much more money will be needed.
Special Community Leaders meeting announced for Tuesday, June 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room. Those invited will receive emails about this event.
This is what three Ocean Grovers had to say on this subject just yesterday:
OhGee: “I made the point earlier on that the Boardwalk Pavilion issue was part of the reason FEMA denied the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA). I was poo-poo’d that issue had nothing to do with the denial. But I still question that it does. You can’t have it both ways, OGCMA.”
OG Jaimie: “It’s my understanding that the CMA got funding after the early 90s Nor’ easter for repairs to the boardwalk, Auditorium, etc, by arguing – successfully – that despite the CMA’s mission/religious background, they were public facilities, open to the public for both secular and non-secular purposes. In between then and Sandy, certain members of the CMA made it clear that these facilities weren’t open to all members of the public, due to religious beliefs. Fool me once…?”
Doubting Thomas: “Now that we know that the IRS has been targeting conservative and Christian organizations, such as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Catholic League, why should we not suspect FEMA of turning Ocean Grove down because of similar bias?”
Editor’s Note: The first two commenters believe that FEMA denied the CMA’s application for Sandy aid because of the Pavilion episode in 2007 when the CMA was found by the State of New Jersey to have discriminated against a gay couple who wanted to have their civil ceremony in the Pavilion. These two commenters don’t want to accept FEMA’s official explanation that the denial has to do with the designation of the privately-owned boardwalk as a recreational venue.
Doubting Thomas suggested the possibility that FEMA might have targeted the CMA because of perceived political/ religious leanings. He thinks that if the IRS could do it, why not FEMA.
If these theories are true, then FEMA officials need to be investigated, because their rulings cannot be based on religious or political considerations. The fact that the State of New Jersey found that the CMA had discriminated during the Pavilion episode would not be a reason for this Federal agency to punish the citizens of Ocean Grove. The FEMA rulings must be based only on their own unbiased and documented regulations.
It’s OK to speculate and have conspiratorial theories, but it is necessary to point out that there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that the FEMA denial has to do with anything other than the official explanation.
The Camp Meeting Association has it right in responding to the denial with an appeal that has been filed by the book. That appeal argues that the FEMA rules need to be reassessed so that Ocean Grove taxpayers can have help for their boardwalk just like all the other towns around here, regardless of who owns the boardwalk.
Friday, May 24: The President will tour the damage to the shore and see how the recovery effort is going. The exact locations of his visit have not been announced. He was last here on October 31, 2012, two days after Sandy hit. So far, FEMA has spend over $1 billion on restoration efforts in addition to $1.3 billion on families affected by the storm, according to the Asbury Park Press this morning.
Pictured with Governor Christie (center) are: (L-R) Neptune Township Mayor Eric Houghtaling; OGCMA’s Karen Adams, Robin Brown, Bobbie Kehoe, Karen Voorhees OGCMA COO Ralph del Campo; Together Committee members Connie Ogden and Carol Whilden; OGCMA’s Vicki Bacolo, Linda Szabo; and Neptune Township Committeeman Randy Bishop. (Photo Courtesy Neptune Township Police Department)
On Tuesday, May 21, Governor Christie surveyed the progress on the Ocean Grove beaches and boardwalk by helicopter en route to the NJ Law Enforcement Memorial Service at the Great Auditorium. Christie paused to encourage representatives of the TOGETHER Campaign, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association’s fund-raising drive to restore Ocean Grove’s boardwalk and beachfront. The Governor reassured the group that he was fighting for Ocean Grove at the federal level – referring to the FEMA decision that is currently being appealed by OGCMA. Ocean Grove was denied FEMA funding because of its non-profit status and a classification of the boardwalk as being “recreational”.
The community of Ocean Grove and the Camp Meeting Association continue to be optimistic about the appeal as well as other funding for beach and boardwalk repairs. Even if FEMA funding does come through, $750,000 will still be needed for improvements. The Together Campaign is energetically pursuing its mission and capital campaign by selling t-shirts, planning events, concerts, and picnics. For more information, visit www.together.og.com.
—-press release courtesy of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association
May 14, 2013. This is the third in a series of meetings between the OGCMA and major organizations in Ocean Grove. Most of the time was spent reviewing the progress at the beachfront. Here are the highlights:
1. The reconstruction of the boardwalk at the South End was carefully designed to withstand future hurricanes. The elements include pilings to a depth of 25 feet (instead of the prior 5 feet,) joists 12 inches apart, reinforcing the bulkhead using thick planks of wood from the old boardwalk, metal hurricane straps to attach the joists to the pilings, composite walking surface attached with stainless steel screws. This basic approach will be used in the future when further boardwalk work will be done at Middle Beach.
Strong joist construction at the South End. PG photo. Left click for larger view
2. 165 feet of the pier will be open to the public. It is almost ready. Railings will be placed this weekend.
3. Middle beach. Eventually that section of the boardwalk will be placed 30 feet behind (west of) the old location so as to locate it behind the bulkhead and to line it up with the rest of the boardwalk, north and south. An aerial photograph illustrates the point. (below).
You can see how the large center portion of the boardwalk sits closer to the ocean than the north and south parts. Engineers post-Sandy found that the center portion was sitting east of the hidden bulkhead. That “middle beach ” section would have been saved if it had been built behind the bulkhead, like the north and south portions.
In 1992, after a huge storm, FEMA paid the bill, but it required that the middle portion be kept exactly where it was, much to the dismay of the Ocean Grove planners. This time, the middle section will be placed behind the bulkhead and in a straight line with the rest of the boards.
pre-Sandy Google Earth photo. Courtesy of Chris Flynn, OGCMA
4. The tie-in to the Bradley Beach boardwalk is almost ready. JCP&L is working on the lighting. Construction of the beach offices is proceeding. The Asbury connection now depends on reopening of the Casino, which has been promised by AP.
5. The beach is clean with minimal debris found. Mr. Bailey says, “We are excited about the beach’s condition.” Our sand replenishment will be one part of a state-wide coastal project by the Army Corps of Engineers that will stretch from Cape May to Sandy Hook. We will be part of the phase that will go from Manasquan north to Asbury Park. This will happen after Labor Day and will consist of pumping sand from off-shore sites. The goal will be to restore the beach to “pre-Sandy” levels.
OG beach: “looks good…clean”
6. Divers from OG will assess the ocean bottom near shore as will the State of NJ using sonar equipment. The bottom will be altered again after the replenishment.
7. Dune reconstruction will be a “process.” The last dunes took 20 years to develop. The State is determined to have dunes from Sandy Hook down to Cape May. In Ocean Grove, the CMA is consulting with scientists and engineers to do the dunes properly. Mr.delCampo said, “The dunes will be back.” Winter berms are being leveled.
8. The overall condition of Ocean Grove for the summer season is better than most shore towns. We have no devastation, no noise, and no disruption. Our commercial district is 100% functional. We need to get the word out that we are able and ready to receive visitors. The OG Chamber of Commerce is enthused about our prospects for summer 2013. They say that they are receiving many phone calls that express enthusiasm for returning to the Grove.
9. The TOGETHER fund-raising effort is off to a good start. They hope to raise $1.5 million over two years, but already they have over $668,000. If we get government funding for 75%, this fund will supply the rest. Fund raisers are planned including a Gospel Festival on June 1, theRaise the Roof Concert on June 15, a town picnic on the Pathway July 19, and a Summer Ball on August 9.
Rev. David Cotton, the co-chair of TOGETHER said that they are optimistic. He said, “We are doing it right. We haven’t even hit our stride yet.” He also expressed thanks to the Blogfinger Film Festival and the Town-wide yard sale as examples of community-based fund-raising initiatives.
10. No word on the FEMA appeal. Answer is expected before July 4. The second Town Meeting is tentatively planned for July 6, probably in the Youth Temple.
11. The Great Auditorium roof repair will be deferred until after Labor Day. The special roof material (zinc coated, stainless steel) hasn’t been manufactured yet, and the building is water tight with special temporary coverings.
Photo by Tony Kurdzak of the Star Ledger, OGCMA officials Bill Bailey (L) and Ralph delCampo
“We provide every service every other town provides, with no exception,” Del Campo said. “We’re part of the regional emergency management system (with Avon, Bradley Beach, Asbury Park). We’re also good for commerce in the area. Ocean Avenue doesn’t connect Ocean Grove to Asbury or Bradley. Only the boardwalk does.”
This quote is part of an article which appeared today on NJ.com today.
Thanks to BF citizen reporter Ernest Bergman for this tip.
Beautification: Connie Ogden (L), Joan Knust, Phyllis Schroeder (R). The guy on the left has his eye on Connie.
Sofia (L) and mom Paula Giglio. They came down from New City to help.They are Grovers.
Volunteers at the beach front. They came on a big green bus; except for Connie in the red shirt
Restoring the pier out to where those boards end. That 167 feet will be open, but no water for fishing.
Volunteers from American Fence Co. sanding and painting the rails
Clarke family are staying at the Majestic. They are in order of shortest to tallest: Eamonn, Aidan, Lisa, Neil
Korie Kalavado of Bath, Pa. She lives on a horse farm. Korie knows machines.
Joyce Mante of Easton, Pa. Her family owns American Fence, Co.
Sophia and Paula Giglio of New City, New York, have a second home in the Grove. They decided to come down this weekend and lend a hand to the group that was busy shoveling sand off the grassy area just east of Ocean Avenue, opposite Main. They brought two wheelbarrows along, which they donated. Dad was in New York City working as a physician.
But most of the workers, about 40 of them, showed up this morning in a large green bus that had been hired by the Calvary Baptist Church of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. These church volunteers were working side-by-side with members of the OG Beautification Project who were determined to eliminate the sandy berms (ie piles of sand) that were burying the beach roses (rosa rugosa) and preventing spring planting. Connie Ogden, wearing a bright red OG sweatshirt, had a shovel in her hand while giving me the rundown (no, not rubdown.) I needed that because the cast of characters was like an anthill, busy as bees (sorry for the insect analogies.)
You could see the problem because the roses were starting to bloom, and only their little rose heads could be seen sticking out of the sand.
A very special group of workers, from the American Fence and Flag company (see post below) were concentrating on the pier and the South End. There were about six of them, and they also came on the same bus. Mr. Bill Bailey of the OGCMA took me over to see what was going on. The CMA engineers had decided that 167 feet of the pier could be salvaged and safely used. Mr. Bailey viewed this project as being important for the morale of the town—“to give hope for the future.”
A group of Pennsylvania carpenters were up on the pier replacing damaged board planks with reclaimed boards from the Sandy mess. Those boards look like new, because they are new, having been placed last year after Irene. Other volunteers from that Pa. company were installing, sanding and painting the metal railings.
We met the Clarke family from Sterling , New Jersey. They were watching the work, impressed with all the activity. They happily posed for a photo and told us that they often visit the Grove, and they feel good about the restoration effort unfolding in front of them. The Majestic Hotel is their home base this weekend.
Mr. Bailey busied himself walking around and interacting with the workers, trying to help expedite the situation. He has lived in Ocean Grove for much of his life, and this volunteer effort was deeply impressive to him, but not surprising. He also admitted that these volunteers are saving the CMA a large amount of money that can be used for the ongoing storm recovery.
—text and all photos by Paul Goldfinger
TO THE VOLUNTEERS—- THANK YOU— YOU’RE TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS:
Hal Mante helping his men install railings at the south end of Ocean Grove. PG photo 4/13/13. Click left for full view
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Hal Mante was raised in a small town that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Forty Fort is in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania. It was named after the forty men who founded it.
In the 1970’s Hal entered the fence business and built his company American Fence and Flag located in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. He currently lives in Easton.
Hal began coming to Ocean Grove with his family when he was four years old. They stayed on Broadway. He loved the fishing and the beach. He continued to vacation in the Grove when he had his own family and he has been coming here for over forty years. When he heard about Sandy, his immediate impulse was to help.
In Forty Fort, Hal and his neighbors found out what nature’s destruction can do, because in 1972, his town was flooded by the Susquehanna River, and there was great destruction of homes. In 2005, after Katrina, he closed his factory for a week and took a group of volunteers from his business and went to work in New Orleans.
He feels grateful for his good fortune in life, and he wants to “give back.” He immediately emailed Bill Bailey of the OGCMA and asked, “How can I help?” He thought he would come here to “tear down sheet rock” and do other kinds of construction work, but after he spoke to Mr. Bailey, it was evident that he could help by doing what he always does: fencing and railings.
Hal closed his business again and brought a crew of 12 volunteers to OG after Sandy. They put up extensive areas of sand fencing and other protective barriers. They also installed railings that were reclaimed from the storm or were donated by the community of Sea Bright. They worked here for 3 weeks.
Hal is active in his church, the Calvary Baptist Church of Bethlehem. So he returned today with his wife Joyce, 6 of his workers, and a busload of church people to help with the Beautification Project removal of sand and with restoring 167 feet of the pier, complete with safety railing and fencing. His workers also were busy on the boardwalk with installing, sanding and painting metal railings . When we interviewed Hal Mante, he was busy forcing a large metal pipe into the sand.
Hal said that he is grateful for the many years of good times in Ocean Grove, and, as he sees it, helping our town recover is something essential that he must do. At the age of 59, “give back” is on his mind.
Mr. Bailey (L) and Mr. delCampo in front of a photo of the metal barrier as seen on the South End. PG photo from the 4/6 town meeting
By Paul Goldfinger, MD , Editor@Blogfinger
Bill Bailey and Ralph delCampo reviewed the current status of beachfront recovery during a slide show presentation at the town meeting Saturday. Their discussion included some fascinating and little-known engineering details. Using aerial photography and photos of the current work sites to illustrate, they said that they hope to have Phase One done by Memorial Day. The project includes the opening of one third of the fishing pier (167 feet). That part of the pier will be restored with safety and security in mind. There will be benches, railings, boardwalk , flower urns and lighting. Ultimately they pledged that the entire fishing pier, which has historic origins going back to the 1800’s, will be completely rebuilt.
At the South End, the offices will be reconstructed, and new composite boardwalk surfacing will be placed around the offices to hook up with sections of boardwalk that were not destroyed by the storm. You can visit that area to see what the entire boardwalk will look like in the future. Mr. Bailey invited all Grovers to come to the site and watch the progress. The American Fence Company of Whitehall, Pa. will be installing railings there. The gentleman who owns that company has been vacationing in the Grove for many years and he wants to give back. Access ramps and stairs have been built using wood reclaimed after Sandy.
The reason that some areas of boardwalk were spared to the north and south is the presence of protective walls made of rubble or metal vertical corrugated sheathing that were placed after a major storm in 1953. Those barriers are also credited with helping to reduce damage to the town itself. The new plans want to take advantage of that observation.
The history of those barriers, which helped to save Ocean Grove during Sandy, is that a vicious storm hit in 1953, and Camp Meeting Association leaders at that time, decided to do something more than just rebuild the boardwalk. The rubble wall extends from just south of the Pavilion north to Seaview Avenue. It is an 8-12 foot wall which can be likened to a jetty on land. It is ordinarily covered by dunes.
The metal vertical sheathing is visible in part over by the beach offices. It continues north to embrace the entire length of the beach, but the middle section of the boardwalk was east of that metal wall and thus was demolished by Sandy due to the fact that it had no barrier protection. That is why the middle section of the boardwalk will eventually be rebuilt to the west of that metal protective barrier.
Old records show that a portion of the metal sheathing had deteriorated in the early 1990’s and had been repaired at the south end. The metal is protected from corrosion by being under the sand, but it will not last forever. The condition of the rest of the metal wall is currently undetermined. It would have to be excavated to find out, but there are no plans to do so except it will be assessed in the middle when the work there is finally done.
At the North End, the plan now is to create a temporary 8 foot wide asphalt walkway which will stretch from Seaview to the Casino. Note that the Casino is the property of Asbury Park, and they are responsible for its restoration. Currently the Casino is closed . The building at the North End, on the beach, is privately owned, but the owner is expected to restore that structure as they did after the 1993 n’oreaster which caused more damage than we see now.
The “middle beach” boardwalk site will temporarily consist of sand with paths to the beach, much as they have at the Florida beaches, Long Beach Island and at Sandy Hook.
As for the beach, our sand losses are considered to be relatively minor. According to Bill Bailey, the CMA Director of Operations, the beach project is called “Sandy Relief” and involves sand replenishment by the Army Corps of Engineers according to a plan which will return shore beaches to “exactly” what they were like before the storm. The engineers have before and after satellite photographs to use for comparison. Mr. Bailey said, “In comparison to other shore towns, we haven’t lost much beach at all.” Every May, “very large equipment is brought into the Grove to move the sand around.” That will be done this May as well. The piles at the North End will be sifted and then “put back.”
Currently we have “winter berms” on the Ocean Grove beach. The plan includes restoring the permanent dunes including the beach grasses. Recently the CMA had a “dune expert” walk the OG beach with Mr. Bailey. The CMA also has had the ability to consult with the Township engineer Mr. Peter Avakian who was present and who was credited with being helpful through the entire restoration planning process.
Regarding the Great Auditorium, the roof project requires custom made zinc-coated stainless steel materials. There is only one company who can manufacture that roofing, and, after some delay on their part, will be making the delivery, hopefully, later this month—then the installation can begin. Meanwhile the roof is protected, and the Great Auditorium sustained no structural damage from the storm. A number of contractors were credited for helping to quickly close the GA after Sandy, including Mr. Jack Green and the Gannon Co, both of Ocean Grove. Mr. Bailey said, “We are so thankful for all the help we received.”
In 1980, when the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association had to relinquish governance in town, the citizens of OG were faced with the new reality of Neptune Township running the show and the CMA focusing on its mission. The CMA tended to reveal little of its inner workings, although it did offer a public meeting once per year on Labor Day.
But then Sandy hit, and all that changed. The oceanfront was devastated, sustaining over $3 million in damages including the destruction of much of the boardwalk, the beach and the fishing pier. In addition, there was serious injury to the Great Auditorium roof. On October 30, the day after the storm hit, while Ocean Grove was without power, there were 25,279 “views” on Blogfinger, despite the fact that hardly any computers were working in the Grove. These e-visitors came from all over the US and the world. Obviously, there were a lot of people who were doing searches online to see how Ocean Grove was doing.
The CMA, as owners of all that property, found itself traumatized as it looked around and asked itself how to deal with the situation. The biggest challenge would be how to finance the recovery. But the early plans were sent into a tailspin when FEMA refused to provide storm damage funds.
Immediately after Sandy hit, the OGCMA reached out to the community and beyond. Volunteers came from all over to help with cleanup. Checks began to pour into the CMA offices, and the staff had to initially open the mail without any lights, but they quickly realized that financial help would be coming.
Over the last three years they had spent $300,000 of their backup funds to restore the boardwalk—the one that was just wrecked. Now they needed a plan to raise a huge amount of dollars, and they could not expect any money from Neptune Township. Some towns in the area have been financing their recovery by issuing bonds, but the voters in those towns would be responsible for that debt and would see tax increases. In Ocean Grove, the CMA has already raised over $300,000 and it has received large pledges from its own trustees. Priorities have been set, and work has begun on the recovery. The plan has been designed to occur in stages, with phase I to be complete by Memorial Day. An elaborate appeal to FEMA was just completed, and an answer should come within 30 days.
The OGCMA has opened up a transparency and cooperation initiative in its relationship with the townspeople of OG. Once again it has taken center stage in a town that looks to it for solutions. It has brought all the major groups together, and a combined effort has been established. This is a unique and positive development which has been well received in town.
Today, an unprecedented (at least since 1980) town meeting was held at the Youth Temple where an estimated 300 people gathered to hear a presentation by the CMA regarding the Sandy restoration project in the Grove. All major groups were represented, and the spirit of the meeting was supportive and optimistic.
President Dale Whilden, interim COO Ralph delCampo, Director of Operations William Bailey, and a number of other CMA officials and citizens sat at a long table and made their case for the town to come together in a community effort to repair the storm ravaged areas. The main emphasis was fundraising, and a major capital campaign, run by the newly named “Together Team,” was introduced, and a goal of $1.5 million was announced.
The topics covered at the meeting, including questions from the audience, were wide ranging and all important. We will take the time and space to present some of the details to you in a series of posts to appear below.
DIXIELAND RAMBLERS—let’s hope for an early Christmas in the Grove:
On Wednesday afternoon, April 3, we saw no work being done at the beachfront. I think they are waiting for materials to rebuild the beach offices. Fencing and plywood wind barriers separate the beach from Ocean Avenue on almost the full length of the avenue until you get near the North End. Some new access ramps and stairs have been installed. Many pilings are visible. Large sand dunes are present on the beach and at the North End. We will be hearing an updated report at the Saturday meeting (see below).
On Saturday, April 6, at 9:00 a.m., there will be a Town Meeting at the Youth Temple (across from the Great Auditorium.) The meeting is open to the public. The event will kick off a new ambitious fund raising community effort called The TOGETHER Campaign. The progress and challenges involved in rebuilding the beach front, boardwalk and Great Auditorium roof will be discussed. In attendance will be Neptune officials, press, OGCMA officials and the TOGETHER committee. It will be an open forum, and questions from the audience will be welcome.
South end access to the boardwalk near Broadway. New stairs and ramps are seen. 4/1/13. PG photo.
Looking south near Ocean Ave along the boardwalk route, standing near Main Avenue. The pier is seen behind the crooked lamp. 4/3/13 PG photo
