110 Heck Avenue, Ocean Grove, NJ. Beersheba Award winner. A successful restoration. PG photo
The question was: “Are you confident that Ocean Grove’s historic heritage will be preserved in the future?”
267 people participated. 37% said “yes,” 58% said “no”, and 5% said “unsure.”
The first person (of 19) who commented seemed to sum up the situation. He said, “How can anyone vote yes, when we see houses being torn down, the flare being violated, and many houses in serious need of renovation? This town is on the edge of a knife and it is really uncertain which way it will fall.”
Historic preservation in Ocean Grove is not about taking care of the narrative. The Historical Society of OG does a great job at that. This issue is mostly about the town’s physical self as a replica of a Victorian community. Many dedicated people are involved in the process, but the process is inherently complex and difficult.
Whether you believe that the effort is adequate or not, this poll result tells us that many residents are worried. Finger pointing is not a good answer. Perhaps the mayor should appoint an expert commission to look at the situation and suggest some new solutions. The status quo isn’t enough.
Paul Goldfinger, editor @Blogfinger