Times Talk
Chris and Kristy Carr, who were among the 2018 Beautification Award winners, are flanked by the Environmental Commission’s Mike McHale, Annette Lombardo and Dudley McGinty.
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR BEAUTIFICATION AWARDS
The Sea Isle City Environmental Commission is now accepting nominations for its 32nd annual Beautification Awards. Have you been driving through town admiring some of the attractive homes and businesses this summer? Whether a resident or visitor, anyone can nominate a property. Nominations will be accepted through Sept. 5 and winners will be announced on Sept. 15 during the Fall Family Festival.
Application forms are available at the Sea Isle City Welcome Center, City Hall, and online at seaislecitynj.us from the “Forms” link on the homepage of the website.
For the past 32 years, the Environmental Commission has been seeking out properties and businesses in town that people find have made improvements within the year. The criteria to be considered include improvement in overall appearance, attractive architecture and landscaping display, and eye-catching appearance of the property.
Awards will be presented on the second day of the Fall Family Festival, set for Sept. 14 and 15. On Saturday, the festival will feature more than 300 craft vendors set up along the Promenade, a food court, live music, amusement rides and children’s activities. In addition to the Beautification Awards presentation on Sunday, families will also be treated to the antique auto show, free guided trolley tours, and live entertainment provided by the Snake Brothers Band.
The future of the former school at 4501 Park Road is the topic of a referendum in the November election.
REFERENDUM ON EX-SCHOOL BUILDING IN NOVEMBER ELECTION
In the quest to determine the future of the former school building at 4501 Park Road, Sea Isle City Council approved a resolution to include a non-binding referendum on the November General Election Ballot at its Aug. 13 meeting. City Council will continue to explore all options presented while gaining more feedback from the general public as well.
Following a public town hall meeting on June 29 to discuss the future of the property, the City of Sea Isle arranged for a questionnaire to be completed by residents, visitors and property owners to help determine how to move forward. City Administrator George Savastano reported mixed findings from nearly 800 individuals who completed the questionnaire, but the general consensus was to build a new recreation facility, rather than renovate the existing building.
The three main concepts for redeveloping 4501 Park Rd. were first presented during the June 11 City Council meeting after the Ad-Hoc Committee spent months exploring options. Katherine Custer, director of the Department of Community Services, highlighted the uses for the building since it was built in 1971 and the possibilities ranging from $2 million to $20 million, which included renovating the existing building while keeping the same footprint and amenities; demolishing and building a new facility with the same amenities; or demolishing and building a new facility with the same amenities and the addition of an indoor community swimming pool.
The building at 4501 Park Rd. served as the Sea Isle City Public School from 1971 when it was built until the spring of 2012, when students were transferred to Ocean City School District due to low enrollment. Following Superstorm Sandy’s destruction of the City Hall building, the building served as headquarters for city officials and the police department while the new City Hall building was being constructed. The old school building currently provides the community with a space for programs and events as well as the rain location for many outdoor events.
The concept plans are available online at seaislecitynj.us.
Abigail Craige poses with statue of Apollo 11 astronauts during her trip to the Kennedy Space Center.
Abigail Craige poses with statue of Apollo 11 astronauts during her trip to the Kennedy Space Center.
SEA ISLE’S CRAIGE EARNS TRIP TO SPACE CENTER WITH PROJECT
Sea Isle resident Abigail Craige, a rising senior at Ocean City High School, won a trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the 50th anniversary celebration of Apollo 11’s journey to the moon in July. A project Craige and two other OCHS students submitted to the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program was chosen to be tested on the International Space Station and was launched aboard a SpaceX craft July 8. The experiment was “The Effect of Microgravity on the Hatch Rate and Development of Artemia Salina,” a species of brine shrimp.
Alexia Schmidt and Madison Morgan were her partners on the project. Their experiment was designed to further our knowledge of Artemia salina in space to see if they can create a self-sustaining food source, and how it can be useful for long-term exploration into deep space or to Mars.
During the girls’ visit to Cape Canaveral for the celebration, they were among the likes of surviving Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, the family of the late Neil Armstrong, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, and a number of high-ranking politicians.
“I was able to learn that within the next five years, America will put the next man and the first woman on the moon, with them being both Americans on American spacecraft from American soil,” Craige said. “They also spoke about the next chapter of space travel: Artemis, and about the new Orion spacecraft.”
Rendering of the Sea Isle City Public Fishing Pier and Kayak Launch.
Rendering of the Sea Isle City Public Fishing Pier and Kayak Launch.
PROMENADE, PIER PROJECTS TO START SOON
During the summer season, the City of Sea Isle limits its construction projects to minimize the disruption to its residents and visitors. As Labor Day approaches, it is gearing up to resume the projects throughout town. Among the capital improvements, two of the larger ones are the Promenade Lighting Project and the construction of Sea Isle City’s Public Fishing Pier and Kayak Launch.
Work on the Promenade Lighting Project was anticipated to begin after Easter weekend and was deferred until the fall. The contract was awarded to Delta Line Construction of Egg Harbor Township in the amount of $843,300. Phase one of the project includes the installation of nearly 20 decorative lights along the Promenade from 35th Street to 44th Street. The contract also includes the addition of a public address system for announcements and other necessary communications.
Though no official date has been determined, the City will break ground on the construction of the fishing pier and kayak launch at Dealy Field this fall as well. The City applied for and received funding from the Cape May County Open Space program to support the project and the Cape May County Freeholders approved the request to fully fund the project in February. The anticipated project cost is $935,605. The project will include the construction of a fishing pier, a pier with a covered pavilion, a kayak/paddle board launch facility, and decorative lighting. There will be an ADA-accessible launch as well.
Updates on both projects will be available on the City’s website and in the City’s newsletter. To sign up to receive the newsletter, go to seaislecitynj.us and click the “Register for City News and Alerts” tab on the home page.
Jane Seymour will connect with the Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children.
Jane Seymour will connect with the Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children.
JANE SEYMOUR TO VISIT DILLER HOME, DONATE ART FOR BAREFOOT BALL AUCTION
Though Jane Seymour is best known for starring in the television series, “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” and movies such as “Live and Let Die” and “Wedding Crashers,” she has been a serious artist for more than three decades. Her art features light watercolors and vibrant oil paintings as well as bronze sculptures.
During her Labor Day weekend visit to Stone Harbor’s Ocean Galleries location, the renowned actress, designer and artist will tour the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children in Avalon and donate a piece of her artwork to be auctioned off at the organization’s Barefoot Ball on Sept. 7.
“We were delighted and so very grateful that Jane offered to donate one of her gorgeous artwork pieces in support of the Diller Vacation Home,” said Ocean Galleries owner Kim Miller.
The Barefoot Ball is held annually in September at the Windrift Hotel Resort and is the biggest fundraising event for the Diller Vacation Home. The event features music by the BLT Band, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a live auction with items such as artwork donated from Ocean Galleries, fishing trips, golf outings and more. Funds raised from the event through the live auction, ticket sales and sponsorships help the Diller Vacation Home continue its mission of providing an all-expense paid week of summer camp to blind and visually impaired children ages 7-15.
The “Jane Seymour – California Colorist” exhibition includes more than 85 original oil paintings, watercolors and sculptures. Seymour will be available for meet-and-greet sessions and to sign artwork on Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31 from 7-10pm, and on Sunday, Sept. 1 from 1-4pm.
For more information about Ocean Galleries, go to oceangalleries.com. To learn more about the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children, go to dillerblindhome.org.
