WILDWOOD — The famous boardwalk here is set to get a new facelift in time for Easter 2009, but environmentalists are concerned that the fresh new look is coming at too high a price to the world’s rainforest.
Officials and environmentalists spent the last commissioners’ meeting in 2008 debating what type of wood would best serve Wildwood’s boardwalk after the city med a decision to switch from black locust to tropical hardwood, such as ipe, harvested in rainforests.
Mayor Ernie Troiano, Jr. and Commissioner Bill Davenport voted Dec. 17 to use ipe tropical hardwood to replace portions of the city’s aging pine wood boardwalk. Commissioner Gary DeMarzo abstained from voting on the resolution.
The decision to switch lumber came after the city was sent “an absolutely deplorable” shipment of black locust lumber, according to Troiano.
The first shipment received by contractor, Walters Marine Construction, the contractor for the project, contained such poor quality wood that nine out of 10 boards were rejected, City Engineer Marc DeBlasio said.
“What we got was horrible,” Troiano told the Herald. “Absolutely terrible and there was still bits of bark on it. There was no way we were comfortable using that wood to rebuild.”
Tom Downs, owner of Lifetime Locust Fence and Lumber, said his company was the supplier for the shipment of black locust.
Downs, whose company has worked with locust wood for over 30 years, said he had never been involved in a boardwalk project. But, he said, the company has supplied locust from Central Park in New York City to homeowners and received nothing but rave reviews.
Downs said he was confident the durable, rot resistant material would be a good fit for the city’s boardwalk.
Downs said he could have supplied veneer, which is the highest quality, to a grade-3, which is typically used in fencing. The city, he said, opted to use the grade-1 wood.
Downs said that when he first met with the Remington & Vernick, engineers for the project, he was “very clear that grade-1 was not going to be perfect” but he said he talked to the engineers to work out a supply schedule so the quality would be at its best.
Downs said that because Remington & Vernick were also handling the reconstruction Washington Street Mall in Cape May, they decided to order a large shipment of wood for that project “so they could get a good look at it.”
Downs said the engineers rejected about 500 board feet, but said they were satisfied.
The first shipment of black locust for the boardwalk arrived in September 2008, Downs said.
“I actually drove down with that first load,” said Downs. “And there were no questions about the quality or problems with the wood at that time. Everyone seemed pleased and I went into full production.”
Downs said his family-owned business hired more labor and increased production in order to make the city’s deadlines.
After the second supply of lumber was delivered to the city, Downs said he was told to hold off on production.
“That’s when the quality questions started to fly,” he said.
Downs said that he’s surprised that any questions in regard to quality were not made during the delivery of the first shipment.
Downs said his business has taken a $100,000 hit because of the city’s decision to go with ipe.
“But the city doesn’t seem to care about what happens to a small business like mine,” he said.
Downs said Mayor Troiano or the city’s engineers have returned his phone calls.
“I suggested going with the veneer, but it seems they [the city] have already made up their mind that they aren’t willing to negotiate,” he said.
“Ipe was available and we had to move on it,” Troiano said. “It has the board strength we need, especially for emergency vehicles.”
“We would never make the Easter opening,” he said. “I couldn’t do that to the piers and all the businesses up there.”
Demolition of the Schellenger Avenue section of the Boardwalk began in October 2008.
Replacing the entire boardwalk is a ten-year, $10 million project. So for now, the city will focus time and money on the first phase of the project.
Phase I of the project will cost over $4 million and encompass approximately three blocks of boardwalk, including a tunnel at Schellenger Avenue to facilitate emergency vehicles.
Phase I of the reconstruction boardwalk replacement is a fully-funded project with grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com
