LONGPORT – The borough will hold a groundbreaking ceremony 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 26 at the site of the future Beach Terrace Park. Also, the Board of Commissioners Sept. 17, rejected three bids received for the Point Park wall improvement project, and agreed to allow the library to renovate the Centennial Room at Borough Hall.
Earlier this year, the borough embarked on creating three new parks in Longport. The first to be completed was Dorothy’s Park on 22nd Avenue, so named for Dorothy McGee, who upon her death bequeathed two beach block lots next to her home to the borough with the stipulation that it be open space in perpetuity. The park was opened and dedicated on July 3, just in time to be enjoyed by neighbors and visitors during summer.
A group of concerned area residents have raised $100,000 toward the estimated $150,000 cost of building a second park along a strip of land abutting the bulkhead on Beach Terrace between 15th and 16th avenues, resident Phil Neri said. The group, comprised of residents of the Longport Seaview and Costa Vederi condominium complexes, will continue to raise the rest of the funds needed to build the park. They hope to have the project completed by Memorial Day 2026.
Beach Terrace Park will be built along the bulkhead between 15th and 16th avenues in Longport.Landscaper Jaimie Lloyd of J.W. Lloyd Lawncare and Landscaping of Woodbine designed the park to include a meandering pathway, park benches, low accent lighting, trash receptacles and a small Zen garden. Plantings will 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. In June, the board approved a license agreement for the group to use the land and create the park.
Regarding the Point Park project, at their Sept. 17 meeting, the commissioners agreed to reject three bids received to erect a wall at the end of Atlantic Avenue, an area that attracts many who enjoy the vista the location provides of the bay, ocean and the northern end of Ocean City.
Rendering of Longport Point park.According to a resolution, the borough received three bids Sept. 16, but all were higher than the engineer’s estimate to build the concrete retaining wall to replace unsightly pieces of concrete piled up to prevent erosion into the backbay. On Thursday, the project was readvertised with bids due 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9. The borough is required to select the lowest bidder and has 60 days to review bids and award a contract.
City engineer Ed Dennis Jr. of Remington & Vernick Engineers said the borough “tweaked” the bid specifications to reduce costs.
Schematic for upgrades to Centennial Room at Longport Borough HallIn other capital related business, the board agreed to amend the Longport Public Library’s 25-year lease to operate the library in Borough Hall. The amendment will allow the Library Board to fund substantial upgrades and renovations to the Centennial Room on the second floor of Borough Hall. Revisions to the lease specify the Centennial Room will be a shared space for use by both parties, and in the event of scheduling conflicts, the library will have priority use. The maintenance agreement includes the borough taking responsibility for major systems, such as HVAC, roof, electrical service and plumbing. The library will assume regular maintenance of kitchen equipment, furnishings and lighting.
The board also awarded a $25,000 professional services contract to Remington & Vernick to provide engineering services for the redevelopment of Well No. 3.
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