LONGPORT – The Board of Commissioners June 18 approved a license agreement to develop a beachfront park on Beach Terrace. The concept of building a park on a narrow strip of land on the landward side of the bulkhead between 15th and 16th avenues first surfaced before the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of concerned citizens recently obtained a license agreement from the borough to build the park.
Much like the Dorothy McGee Park that’s being built on 22nd Avenue, the park will provide passive recreation for residents and visitors. The park will be open to the public and will include landscaping, lighting, irrigation and native vegetation.
Resident Phil Neri, a member of Beach Terrace, Inc., the nonprofit organization that formed to create the park, said he was grateful to borough officials for approving the license agreement just a few months after he pitched the idea to the newly seated Board of Commissioners.
“We have already raised $28,000 of our $250,000 goal,” he said.
The group plans to continue its fundraising efforts over the next several months when families flock to the shore town for summer enjoyment.
“If all goes according to plan, we’ll start construction in September with the hopes of holding a grand opening over the July 4 weekend in 2026,” he said.
Landscaper Jaim Lloyd of J.W. Lloyd Lawncare and Landscaping of Woodbine designed the park to include a meandering pathway, four park benches, low accent lighting, trash receptacles and a small Zen garden. Plantings would include native species, low-growing evergreen trees that will not block views, and drought tolerant perennials that are appropriate for the beachfront location. It will be surrounded by a 4-foot slatted vinyl fence set back from the sidewalk. The idea is to create a space that’s beautiful but also low maintenance.
According to estimates provided earlier this year, the construction of the park will cost about $170,000. The group will also raise $25,000 for year-one maintenance and $20,000 for contingencies. The borough will provide electricity and water to keep the grass and plants watered, collect trash and recycling on a regular basis, and help the organization promote its fundraising efforts.
Commissioner Jim Ulmer said Neri and the group could provide a “master class” in getting the word out and making it easy to donate.
The group’s stated mission is to “create a serene, natural sanctuary by the beach, where individuals can find peace, quiet, and reflection,” and preserve the “tranquility of the coastal environment, offering a space for rest, meditation, and connection with nature.”
The group has a website, www.beachterracepark.com, where residents can make secure online donations.
They are planning informational community events at the park location 11 a.m. Saturday, July 5 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 to familiarize donors with the project.
In the meantime, donations can be mailed to 111 S. 16th Ave., Longport, NJ 08403 or email info@beachterracepark.com.
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