Probably the one economic statistic the government doesn’t calculate (and then lie about) is miniature golf courses per capita. But if they did, and Matt gets his way about his plan for roof-top golf on the 8th Ave pavilion (complete with an elevator for the handicapped), then I’m quite certain Belmar would have the highest number of miniature golf courses per capita on the planet. Nobody in town would need to travel more than 10 blocks if they wanted to play.
As we know, Chefs International (aka Jack Baker’s) was required to build a miniature golf course and operate it for 30 years in order to get the highly lucrative franchise to operate a bar/restaurant on the 9th Ave pier. Now one year after it’s opening we are told that it’s too hard for children to cross Route 35 to get to the miniature golf so we need to build a second golf course, this time at the beachfront. I would imagine that if Chefs really cared about miniature golf they would be pretty “teed” off, but they don’t care about miniature golf and not a single other Jack Baker’s establishment has miniature golf. They just view our mayor’s obsession with miniature golf as being part of the cost of doing business in Belmar.
Personally, I don’t think the 8th Ave pavilion should even be large enough to build a golf course on top of. On the north side of it they wanted to have bath houses, but that idea was shot down so they don’t even know what to do with half the building. So why build it so big? Oh, I forgot. FEMA is paying for it (maybe). So we have to build it.
The town is planning second monstrosity for 5th Ave, a two-story replacement for the Taylor Pavilion. With its 5 foot flood elevation, it will loom a total of 43 feet over the boardwalk and even higher over the beach to its east. The second floor will house a banquet hall for weddings and such. I guess now that we’ve driven the Barclay out of business, the plan is to grab some of that wedding action for ourselves. It’s a little unseemly to say the least. And FEMA won’t pay for the second story (not that they’ve paid for much of anything so far.) I think a building the size of the old one would suit us just fine. And since FEMA is not going to pay for it we don’t need to be in any hurry to have a banquet hall on the boardwalk. I think fixing the flooding of Lake Como and Silver Lake should be a higher priority.
I have no comment at all about the proposed 10th Ave pavilion. It will house facilities for the police, the lifeguards and the rescue squad. I know that if I so much as comment on the color of it I will be branded as anti-cop, anti-lifeguard and anti-rescue squad so I love it. It’s perfect.
Post a Comment