Dear Friends,
The new park at the foot of the Ninth Street Bridge is nearly complete in time for the summer season. Not long ago, a pair of abandoned gas stations on two fully paved lots greeted everybody driving into Ocean City. The transformation is pretty remarkable. All remnants of the stations – including underground tanks – have been removed and remediated. The lots are fully landscaped, and work to create a few more parking spaces will be completed soon.
I’d like to thank our partners from Cape May County. The county provided a grant to pay for acquisition of one property, and we’re seeking a similar grant for the second. The project is a great example of working together to preserve open space – or, in this case, to reverse development. Opportunities like this are rare, but I will continue to take advantage of them when they arise. I hope you can enjoy the new view and visit the new resting spot if you’re driving, biking or walking by.
I have given permission for paving contractors to begin work at 7 a.m. in the Fourth Ward drainage project. I understand this is a nuisance, especially in the season. But I have been told that paving of the main streets can be completed in the next week or two, and I want to provide every opportunity to make that happen.
Work on the North End drainage project will continue through the summer. Crews are making good progress in preparing to elevate the flood-prone area in front of the Ocean City Primary School. Work on other streets is in progress, and I will ask our project managers to see if the contractor can restore the roadways as much as possible before final paving in the fall.
On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of meeting U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Joanne Schultze. She and her family are in town this week as part of our American Legion Post’s Rest & Relaxation Program. Now in its sixth year, the program is a way to say “thank you” for the service and sacrifices of our veterans.
Capt. Schultze is a Judge Advocate General and director of operations for the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. The American Legion program provides her family with police and fire escort into town, use of a free condominium for the week and a generous array of gifts from our local merchants.
I’d like to thank Capt. Schultze for her service, the American Legion for maintaining this exceptional program, and all of our local businesses for contributing to the program.
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
Check on the latest project updates and sign up for email alerts.
