A reader takes me through a walk in the park.
I confess that I haven’t been to Maclearie Park for a year or so but a reader who lives near it, and frequently visits it, sent me some photos. (Suffice to say, this person is not happy with how it’s being maintained.)
Let’s begin our walk:
Not a good sign. And some mulch around those bushes might be nice.
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Is there some sort of national mulch shortage that I’m not aware of?
“Maybe we should eat lunch someplace else.”
Inexcusable. We have money for palm trees and Bermuda shirts, but three years after Sandy we can’t have clean, working toilets at Maclearie Park? This has to discourage a lot of people (especially women) from visiting.
EEWW!
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“Come see the ancient ruins.”
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Heading out of the park and back home. Watch your step!
*There is a public hearing tonight about our application for a Maclearie Park Open Space grant. If you care about the park I would strongly suggest you attend the hearing.
20 Comments
Thank you Dave for you 60 minutes expose. While we love to share this unique park with visitors, this is our neighborhood park. Our complaints about seasonal and yearly maintenance have fallen on deaf ears. The administration
treats this part of District 3 like social outcasts. The redevelopment proposed address years of neglect and not Hurricane Sandy damage. No one believes that the new developments will get the maintanence either. Just free money and no stewardship.
Perhaps it’s been ignored so that the “Open Space Grant” (loan) will come through and SAVE the park? This park doesn’t create much, if any, income for Belmar. Perhaps that’s why it’s been ignored. My daughter and I walked there last evening and saw the most glorious sunset. People crabbing, swimming, walking their dogs. Enjoying a meal together. Parking is limited so many walk to this park. Why focus on the Marina which is a few feet away yet ignore this gem of a location? There is always an agenda and now you know what it is.
Where is the DPW?
It’s a shame, the only improvement to the park was the addition of the scuba stairs. After looking at the redevelopment plans for the park one of the things that is absent from the new park is the scuba stairs. Amazing lack of any decent planning.
Well done Dave. I hate the idea of all the trees being uprooted and that serene location turned into something other than what it is now. It seems our town governing body is hell bent on changing this entire town for the benefit of business. What’ll be left for the people to enjoy?
Great looks like an opportunity for the Plumbers, Carpenters, and Electrical Unions, and Engineering and consulting fees. How about another 4 Million dollar bond for this.
You are missing the terrible flooding over 35 that brings sewage up and onto the sidewalks during medium to heavy rain. Usually reaching up to the front yards of some homes.
Building a parking lot for who??? If you take half the park away for parking what is left?
No one it talking about the 6 million dollar bond to do all this.
Thank you for posting these pictures! I hope they serve their purpose, as the neglect of the Park area by the borough is inexcusable and disgraceful. The bulkhead will soon be at the bottom of the river. The water fountain next to 3 porta potties and a refuse bin is disgusting. The weeds are atrocious. It’s a shame, because there used to be nothing more wonderful than enjoying that park and watching the stunning sunsets over the Shark River.
So based on the pictures and comments, people should be supportive of the plan to improve it. Yet previous comments on this site were encouraging people to show up and fight it. To get grant money, towns must bond projects first then receive grant $$$. They don’t just give the towns the money and hope the work will happen.
Maintain what’s there. Don’t pave it over.
#11 The bulkhead is dilapidated as is much else in the park. The borough DOESN’T, CAN’T, WON’T maintain the park. Fix the problems-bulkhead and flooding first-the necessities!! All the time they wasted getting grants for something the residents didn’t ask for could have been spent getting aid for much needed safety items- new bulkheading and L Street flooding. After the necessary issues are addressed include the residents in the park rehabilitation. If the borough had kept up the maintenance in the park we wouldn’t need rehabilitation! Every time the “mayor”‘ says he asks the town employees to do less with more, he is full of it! They are doing LESS WITH LESS!!! You can see it all over town!
Where is John Doe when you need him?
Support expected – So you agree with bonding additional debt to Belmar residents to fix a park that has been in use for decades but neglected by those responsible for it’s care & maintenance?
someone should go fishing on that bulkhead, break their ankle and sue the town for not either blocking it off to public access or fixing it years ago!
Parks and recreation department didn’t get the marching orders to keep the maintenance schedule up to date at MACLERIE. The residents in that locale are perceived as not the correct voting population nor are “those” visitors worthy of better treatment.
#13, Well said sir. About the DPW guys, they’re a good bunch of guys but badly led by people who have no background in hands on work.
Heard we don’t even own the bulk head. That either belongs to the NJ, County, or the Feds?
Let them fix it now. So if we don’t own it why are we asking for $$ to repair. ??? Confused at this point.
At the Turnstile meeting the “mayor” and Colleen told us we couldn’t receive any grant money for the bulkhead until we made improvements to the park. Ownership of the bulkhead never was discussed. Perhaps Gene Creamer should be on the council.
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