With $1.7 M Bond, Sea Isle City Moves Forward with ‘Beach Anchor’ Project

SEA ISLE CITY — Two years ago, Sea Isle City officials unveiled plans to improve the resort’s “front door.” Dubbed the Beach to Bay Project, the multi-phase effort was designed to enhance the city’s entrance corridor – namely the marina district, the recreation area along JFK Boulevard, Veterans Park, Excursion Park and the oceanfront promenade.
To date, major improvements have already been completed as part of the Beach to Bay Project.
At Veterans Park, where the existing memorial fountain was elevated and accented with a beautiful colonnade, new flagpoles, extensive landscaping and modern lighting were added last spring. There are also new restroom facilities adjacent to the park and a series of stone benches that accommodate spectators during memorial services.
The municipal marina has been updated with new docks, bulkheads, landscaping, lighting and an inviting boardwalk that runs along the waterway. An exciting amusement park, Funland of Sea Isle City, was added to the marina district in 2009. The construction of a new marina services building will begin later this fall.
Other improvements have also taken place along JFK Boulevard, including the addition of a new fisherman’s memorial and an eye-catching “Fish Alley” sign at the intersection of Park Avenue. Both were funded by a federal grant and private money unrelated to the Beach to Bay project.
Thanks to a $1.7 million bond that was approved by City Council on Aug. 24, the municipality is now able to move ahead with the next phase of the Beach to Bay Project, which is expected to begin shortly after Labor Day and be completed in time for the 2011 summer season.
This next phase will include improvements on the promenade and nearby Excursion Park, as well as resurfacing the basketball courts on JFK Boulevard.
Excursion Park, a parcel of land owned by the Cape May County Open Spaces Preservation Trust Fund, received new landscaping and lighting in 2009.
The oceanfront park is now slated to receive a new band shell and modern sound-system that will redirect the large crowds that currently gather on the promenade during the City’s free summer concerts and dance parties. The band shell will also be useful during festivals and other outdoor events, including the City’s popular “Movies Under the Stars,” which bring thousands of people to Excursion Park each summer.
On the promenade, the existing pavilion that extends-out over the sand will be replaced with an attractive gazebo-style pavilion. In addition to offering expansive views of the surrounding scenery, the new pavilion will feature improved access for those with disabilities and a ramp leading directly to the beach.
Across from the pavilion, where rows of old wooden benches currently make up the promenade’s “main viewing area,” new seating will offer views of the promenade and Excursion Park below. Public artwork and an information kiosk are also in the works for this area.
Following the completion of this latest phase of the Beach to Bay Project, further improvements are being considered along JFK Boulevard between Landis Avenue and the promenade, including the reconfiguration of parking and the expansion of sidewalks.
This is in addition to plans currently being formulated by county engineers to elevate and reconstruct JFK Boulevard (a county roadway) between Landis Avenue and the Sea Isle Bridge. Sea Isle City officials are also considering the addition of an information center along JFK, the exact location of which is still being determined.
Regarding the Beach to Bay Project and City Council’s recent approval of the funding, Mayor Leonard Desiderio stated “Sea Isle City government has recognized, and it’s reflected in our own adopted vision statement, that our community wants to be a premier destination resort and that we must ensure the viability of our tourism industry. This project is another step in making that vision a reality.”
To view architectural renderings of the Beach to Bay Project and other exciting plans for the resort, visit www.seaislecitynj.us .