By MADDY VITALE
A newly renovated area outside of the Ocean City Community Center will soon offer people a way to enjoy the outdoors while participating in their favorite programs and classes, courtesy of the city in a partnership with the Ocean City Free Public Library.
A shaded structure on the 18th Street side of the center, complete with a canopy, squishy rubber flooring and benches, will give members of the different facilities at the center an outdoor option.
“Post-COVID is a new era. People want to be outside more than ever,” said Daniel Kelchner, director of Ocean City’s Community Services. “Yoga and all of the other city programs and classes could be done here. It will be a great use of space in an underutilized area.”
Like the city, the library team was looking for an area to do more outside programming.
The library put up a tent last summer, but it was on the blacktop area of the parking lot and it was not a permanent structure.
OCFPL Director Karen Mahar voiced her interest in a permanent space and spoke with Kelchner about it.
She said her team is thrilled.
“The library is very excited to utilize the space outside of the community center for programming of all ages and special events,” OCFPL Director Karen Mahar said. “We are so happy to partner with the city and together, be able to offer a variety of programming in this outside area for our community.”
The new outdoor space will be completed within the next few weeks. Kelchner said that benches and storage will be put in and the area will also have Wi-Fi.
The area could be used not just for library and city programming, but also for all of the other facilities art the center.
Kelchner noted that the Ocean City Historical Museum may use it for their summer camps as well as the Art Center.
There are other shaded structures funded by the city for the 15th Street and 52nd Street playgrounds and the OC Skatepark, which is located at 550 Asbury Ave.
The public can reserve the outdoor space just like any other city facility by completing the “Facility Request” form on the City’s website at ocnj.us. You can find the form on the website by hovering on the “I Want To” tab in the top left. Then you scroll down to the “Apply For” links, and then click on use of a City Facility.
Kelchner said the area could be used by anyone who wishes to without filling out the form, so long as it is not being used for programming at that specific time.
The library even has a dedicated area to more quiet space, Mahar is calling, the “nook.”
“The whole area is for everyone, but exercise will likely be done in the bigger structure and educational programs, while reading and other more quiet activities could be done in the nook,” Kelchner pointed out.
Kelchner said during the COVID-19 pandemic, city leaders spoke about several possible areas. At the time, city exercise classes were being done outside at the tennis courts near the Community Center.
When it came to the area of the center that was chosen, Kelchner said, it just made sense.
“This whole area was many things,” he said as he walked around the structure. “There was a playground. There were picnic tables. It had a variety of uses, but nothing really purposeful.”
At the same time, the library was seeking a permanent structure for outdoor use.
Kelchner said after discussion with other city officials, it was determined that the area on the 18th Street side of the Community Center would be a good place for outdoor programs and activities.
“The mayor and administration said it made sense and that we should move forward with it,” he said.
City Council passed a resolution on May 27 year to fund the materials for the project for a total of $35,000. Supply chain issues delayed the construction of the shaded structure until recently.
After a long wait, the area is just weeks away from being completed.
“I’m excited about it,” Kelchner said. “I think we all will get a lot of use out of it.”
