A Reflection of 15 Years Along the Bay Front

To the Editor:
The summer of 2015 is here as the locals and visitors alike are looking forward to enjoying the summer fun and forgetting the cold winds of winter and the accumulating snow. Lower Township is sprucing up the bayfront for the bikers, runners, kayakers and those of us who like to enjoy the beach and the fantastic sunsets that nature can bestow. Everything doesn’t seem like it should as another season is upon us.
The township meetings and Spout Off section of the Herald are full of conflict with how the bayfront should be operated, and how the road and beaches can best serve the local taxpayers and visitors who want the pristine environment, but also the freedom to enjoy their pleasures during the summer season without the heavy hand of government.
The dog lovers, dog haters, vehicular traffic, bikers, walkers, runners, kayakers, swimmers and those who just enjoy the beach and sun are in a constant struggle to co-exist. Everyone has a common interest and that is to enjoy the natural beauty in a responsible manner. However, like all things in life, the bayfront is no exception; what can be done with those who just don’t care? Your beaches and bay are our dumping grounds for everything that doesn’t appear to fit in the natural setting. The congestion on Beach Drive, and the inability for people to cooperate is what happens when everyone discovers a non-commercial setting.
Let’s reflect on how the conflict between its citizens and their interest has exasperated over the years. In 2000, the properties along Beach Drive were purchased by the township with Frank Stewart foundation monies. For those who remember, the questions that were posed then and the unfortunate reality of the present were, “Why should government step into an already ideal situation?” There wasn’t the conflict of another season between people before the purchase. The road and beaches were enjoyed for the most part in a self-regulated manner.
The reality is that the township is spending hundreds of hours along this stretch of geography at a huge cost. The road, recreation, police departments, etc. are now part of the “best secret” being known to everyone but in a quagmire of escalating cost. The township is paying a price without any of the benefits. Another way the purchase of the beach properties 15 years ago was an execution of a “fools signature” all of the liability and none of the benefits.
Can the hands of time be turned back to a more simple time? Or is the “horse out of the barn,” a continual problem for the township government and its people? Will the summer of 2015 be more of the same? Fresh ideas are needed.
The solution is never simple when the hands of government must regulate out of necessity, rather than with prudence and thought. The solution may be the stuff for the mind of Solomon, or after 15 years of government an answer that is blowing in the wind.
We are not shore island communities. We want to be the community by the bay where everything is here in a splendid package to be enjoyed, not in a commercial manner with fireworks in the sky, or the shops and venues on the boards. A reflection sometimes leads to simple is best!