Times Talk
The Grassy Sound Bridge is now equipped with the E-ZPass toll system.
E-ZPASS DUE AT T.I. BRIDGE BY JUNE 25
The Townsends Inlet Bridge, connecting Sea Isle City and Avalon, is one step closer to accepting E-ZPass for tolls. And the Grassy Sound Bridge, connecting Stone Harbor to North Wildwood, is already there.
The system was installed over the winter, and the Cape May County Bridge Commission announced on April 25 that the system would launch on five toll bridges over the course of eight weeks. Grassy Sound’s E-ZPass is fully operational and the T.I. Bridge is scheduled to go live by June 25.
The first bridge to receive E-ZPass was the Ocean City-Longport Bridge, followed by the Middle Thorofare Bridge. The Corson’s Inlet Bridge is scheduled to go live May 21. Drivers will be made aware of the changes by signage at the entrance to each bridge, alerting that the system is live. All bridges will still be staffed by toll collectors, as cash and tickets will be accepted in addition to E-ZPass.
Also, the Townsends Inlet Bridge received a railing replacement this winter. While work was performed, the bridge operated as a single lane with alternating traffic, except for three weeks in April when it was closed to replace the railing adjacent to the movable span. The four-phase project replaced the railing system on 25 of the 27 spans; the other two spans were replaced under a previous construction contract. The railing replacement is nearing completion and scheduled to be done in June.
Ray Parzych
PARZYCH, LEVINS ON COUNCIL BALLOT
Stone Harbor voters will head to the polls for the primary election on Tuesday, June 5. Two seats on the Borough Council are up for election, each for a three-year term. Councilman Raymond W. Parzych is running to retain his seat, and newcomer Robert J. Levins is running to fill the seat being vacated by Joan Kramar. Kramar, who has served on Borough Council since 2010, will not seek reelection.
Parzych was selected to fill the unexpired term of Judith Davies-Dunhour after her appointment as mayor in January 2017. Parzych and his wife, Bernadette (“Bunny”), have been full-time residents since 1994. He spent 10 years in the United States Coast Guard and works as a marine surveyor. He chairs the Public Safety Committee and serves on the public works and natural resources committees.
Robert Levins
“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the residents of Stone Harbor,” Parzych says. “With council all working together, I like to think that we are making a difference for Stone Harbor and I am honored to be part of it.”
Levins and his wife, Helen, purchased their Stone Harbor home in 1989 and moved here permanently in 2003. A graduate of LaSalle University, Levins retired in 1995 after a 30-year career as an inspector with the Philadelphia Police Department. He served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve for eight years, worked as the chief of security at LaSalle University for nine years and currently runs a part-time property management business in town. He is an active member of the Stone Harbor Republican Club, a docent with the Stone Harbor Museum and a former trustee of the Realty Owners Association.
“I had been approached by a few people and decided now was a good time to throw my hat in the ring,” says Levins. “Borough Council does a good job running the town and making decisions together. I think it would be nice to be part of it and that I would fit in well with the members of council.”
The voting will be conducted from 6am to 8pm at the Stone Harbor Firehouse, located at 96th Street and Second Avenue. The general election will be held Nov. 6.
Members of Public Works moving sand on Avalon’s beaches.
SAND BACK-PASSING PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION
The Borough of Avalon is nearing completion on its sand back-passing project and is anticipated to be complete in early June. Over the past few months, the Department of Public Works has been transporting tens of thousands of cubic yards of sand from a borrow area between 32nd and 40th streets to fill in extremely eroded beaches, generally between 9th and 14th streets, caused by the four nor’easters earlier this year.
“A sand back-passing project is an efficient and cost-effective way to return sand to its place of origin, the north end beaches,” said Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “We had four nor’easter storms that damaged our beaches and we are proud of the talented individuals at the Avalon Department of Public Works who adjusted their schedules to perform this important resiliency project for the Borough in advance of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1.”
The Borough was successful in securing both state and federal permits for a back-passing project. The natural littoral drift of the ocean runs from north to south along the beaches and a lot of the sand that was in place after last year’s hydraulic beach-fill project was transported south to the middle of Avalon. The last sand back-passing project was conducted in 2016.
Public Works is working on the project Sunday through Friday and no work is scheduled to be performed over Memorial Day weekend. Residents and visitors are reminded to keep a safe distance from the heavy equipment, and children should be discouraged from playing on the large sand piles. For updates and more information about the project, go to avalonboro.net.
The Avalon Free Public Library’s new website, avalonfreelibrary.org.
CHECK OUT THE NEW AVALONFREELIBRARY.ORG
The Avalon Free Public Library launched a new design to its website, avalonfreelibrary.org, in April. The site, designed by 7 Mile Publishing & Creative, provides patrons and visitors responsive and easy access to the library’s resources and content.
Highlights for the new site include quick access buttons to patrons’ library accounts, an improved event calendar, a catalog search option on every page, reorganized research resources and a new digital library allowing for quick and easy access to the library’s eBooks and streaming content.
“We’re excited to offer this new design to help our patrons easily connect with the Avalon Library,” says Erin Brown, the library director. “The new website offers improved access to eBooks, events, and many more resources, which benefits our patrons near and far.”
The Avalon Free Public Library received 5 stars in Library Journal’s national rating of public libraries, making it the 10th award since 2009. Located at 235 32nd St., the library is open year-round and offers access to first-class collections, services and a full calendar of programming and events for every age. For more information, visit the site at avalonfreelibrary.org.
Avalon Business Administrator Scott Wahl (third from left) and Green Team Chair Nina Ranalli (third from right) pose after accepting grant for the Terrapin Nesting Pilot Program, flanked by Sustainable Jersey’s Randall Solomon and Edward Mahaney on the left, and PSEG’s Maria Spina and Michael Schmid on the right.
AVALON AWARDED GRANT FOR TERRAPIN PROJECT
The Borough of Avalon was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Sustainable Jersey program on May 8 to fund its continuing work on the Avalon Terrapin Project. The borough has been working on the project to create a safer turtle nesting habitat with The Wetlands Institute’s Dr. Lenore Tedesco and Dr. Lisa Ferguson, as well as Scott Taylor from Taylor Design Group.
Diamondback Terrapin Nesting Habitat Enhancement plans
On the west side of Dune Drive, between the Baypark Marina and Kayak Park, sits a common nesting area for female terrapins. The area’s proximity to the road often results in turtles crossing to search for other nesting spots. The motor-vehicle traffic in the area presents a danger to mother turtles and their eggs. Over the last century, the terrapin population has declined significantly due to hunting, habitat loss, and road kill. The project aims to protect the turtles of Avalon by preventing them from crossing the road and providing the environment that they need to nest in a safe area.
“We are thrilled to be a recipient of the award and deeply appreciative of the Sustainable Jersey program, and to the PSEG Foundation who funds these grant requests,” said Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “This grant will help us work together with our environmental partners and with our citizens who are motivated to continue our progressive approach to protecting female terrapins as they search for suitable nesting areas.”
The project will include the installation of 1,000 feet of temporary PVC pipe barriers to block turtles from getting to the road; the creation of a sand nesting area for female terrapins; the development and testing of a permanent solution for the barriers; and the creation of a no-mow meadow buffer to visually block the barriers and beautify the area.
Stone Harbor Beach Patrol Captain Sandy Bosacco poses with new lifeguard stands.
NEW LIFEGUARD STANDS FOR STONE HARBOR
The Stone Harbor Beach Patrol will unveil 20 aluminum lifeguard stands over Memorial Day weekend. The new stands are about 30 percent lighter than the old wooden stands.
“We’ve been using wooden stands since about the 1900s on the beaches,” said Captain Sandy Bosacco. “We noticed they are quite heavy for our guards and they cause back injuries and they need constant maintenance and repair. By switching over to aluminum, it’s not only a safety improvement for our guards, but it’s also a cost saving for the Borough because they don’t need to be painted and repaired every year.”
The aluminum stands were delivered to Stone Harbor about a week before Memorial Day and will debut on the beaches for the busy holiday weekend. The stands were constructed locally by Heritage Towers of Cape May, which has designed stands for the Cape May, Upper Township and Sea Isle City beach patrols, to name a few. The stands are durable, equipped with handles for two guards to easily transport and are estimated to last for 10-20 years.
The Stone Harbor Beach Patrol, led by Bosacco for 22 years, has 65 staff members. The team is dedicated to keeping beachgoers safe while they enjoy Stone Harbor beaches. Lifeguards are present and on duty from 10am-5pm daily and headquartered at the 95th Street beach.
The AFPL Open House and Story Book Bash will feature more activities like the craft station Caitlyn Noone, Erin Brown and Elizabeth Noone enjoyed in the past.
AVALON LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE & STORY BOOK BASH
The Avalon Free Public Library and Avalon History Center have announced the third annual Open House & Story Book Bash set for Saturday, June 23 from 10am to 1pm. Visitors to the library will enjoy refreshments and access to a wide variety of popular resources including Freegal, Hoopla, OverDrive, Qello Concerts and more.
Children are encouraged to arrive dressed as their favorite storybook character and enjoy a full schedule of activities, crafts, games, story time, character meet-and-greets and more. Hands-on demonstrations will showcase library resources available to all patrons, year-round or seasonal.
Summer reading is a staple at the shore, and the library will celebrate the launch of the 2018 summer reading program, “Libraries Rock!” Children of all ages and reading levels can sign up for the program at the open house and receive their official book and activity log. Participants can read books and attend a variety of family-fun events throughout the summer in exchange for prizes, games and gifts.
“We’re welcoming summer and our patrons at this fun, family-friendly event themed around our Summer Reading Program, ‘Libraries Rock!’,” said Library Director Erin Brown. “We invite patrons to learn about our innovative resources while enjoying a variety of kids’ activities and hands-on program demonstrations.”
In addition to volumes of fun at the library, the Avalon Performing Arts Council will be hosting its annual Art Show and Sale from 10am to 1pm in the same building, at the Avalon Elementary School. Browse original works of art in a variety of mediums from juried artists throughout the East Coast. Winning artists from categories including photography, mixed media, watercolor and more will be posted by noon on Saturday, and all original works of art are available for sale.
Check it out and enjoy a fun and educational day at the library before hitting the beach. The library boasts a full summer of programming including Monday Funday activities, video games, rainy-day pop-up games and movies, crafts, storytimes and more, perfect for the young and the young at heart! For more information and a full schedule of events, go to avalonfreelibrary.org.
Stone Harbor Mayor Judy Davies-Dunhour does the honors at the 2017 beach-opening ceremony.
SURVIVOR STONE HARBOR: WINNER UNLOCKS BEACH
This Memorial Day weekend at the Stone Harbor Beach Opening Ceremony, guests will be treated to Survivor Stone Harbor, a competition between the town’s public-safety departments. The teams will be facing off for the honor of officially “unlocking” the beach for the summer. The event starts at noon May 26 on the 95th Street beach.
Survivor Stone Harbor will feature a series of challenges between the Stone Harbor Fire Department/Office of Emergency Management, the Stone Harbor Beach Patrol, and the Stone Harbor Police Department.
Spectators will be able to show their support for their favorite team by wearing color-coded sunglasses to be distributed at the event: red for the fire department/OEM, white for the beach patrol, and blue for the police department.
It’s an opportunity for visitors to connect with the Stone Harbor community, all while honoring those who protect and serve their town.
The challenges will not be revealed until they are announced to the teams on the day of the competition but will be modeled after those on the CBS television show, making for a fun afternoon.
“Teamwork, especially among public-safety departments, is a crucial cog in the Borough’s wheel,” said Recreation Director Miranda Duca. “This friendly, yet competitive, event will demonstrate to our young people that Stone Harbor has strong leadership and a commitment to teamwork … and they can have fun doing it!”
Stick around after the competition for the official 2018 beach opening, where the winners will unlock the beach and start the summer season off right!
Avalon Recreation Director Chuck McDonnell shows off the new outdoor pickleball courts at 8th Street.
AVALON OPENING 10 PICKLEBALL COURTS
The 10 new pickleball courts at the 8th Street Tennis Complex are ready for the summer schedule that starts May 24. The Avalon Department of Recreation created the courts by converting three tennis courts. The pickleball courts will be open daily from 8am-8pm.
“We hope the new courts will bring more recreation options to Avalon,” said Recreation Director Chuck McDonnell. “Pickleball is a growing sport, and until now we only had the indoor courts, so we are looking forward to bringing pickleball fans another place to play and practice.”
Pickleball is a paddle sport that borrows elements from tennis, pingpong and badminton. The game has experienced a surge in popularity over recent years. Although it was originally invented as a children’s game, it has quickly become popular among all ages.
Various time blocks in the morning (8am-12:30pm) and evening (5-8pm) are designated for beginners, intermediate and advanced players for a $3 drop-in fee in the morning and $2 in the evening. A $75 open play pass also is available. Additionally, use of the courts is free from 12:30-4:30pm daily. Paddle rentals will be available to all, and court assignments can be made through the on-duty recreation attendant.
For the schedule and more information, go to avalonrecreation.org.
