Save Crescent Park
The winter of 2021 brought a second wave of COVID-19, and despite vaccinations, variants sickened more people. Sea Girt remained full. Homes for sale were snapped up very quickly, and rentals sold out.
It truly was a respite from what appeared to be a crazy world. Protests over the 2020 election process and the results turned violent at the Capitol in January 2021.
As President Joe Biden took office, tension was still high. There were continued school closures and travel restrictions. Social media silenced critics, which further divided the nation as we approached the second year of the virus.
Executive actions aimed to reverse many of the Trump initiatives. As Trump did, Biden sent Americans relief money for virus impacts, and Congress was happy to balloon spending. The administration pushed to increase vaccine compliance. In the meantime, shortages of parts from closed global plants triggered inflation of cars, construction, and many other projects. Backlogs on appliances and key parts stretched for months.
Viruses tend not to listen to politicians, and it became clear that on many issues, the government 'experts' at the federal and state levels were issuing random, and sometimes harmful, rules to control the populace, satisfy special interests or sometimes to stop debate. People are also hard to control indefinitely, and the nation was weary of the virus and wanted to move on. The truth was a moving target.
In Sea Girt, there were big changes in the borough offices. A new Chief of Police was appointed as Kevin Davenport retired. There was no fanfare for his 31 years of service like previous chiefs. He was limited to a small party with masked officers at a distance. Justin Macko was appointed Chief. In February, it was announced that Lorraine Carafa had retired, and she was replaced by Jim Gant.
Jim Gant upped the fun level in the borough working with Sea Girt Rec to try new events like a Family Luau
Jim was an enthusiastic fresh face for the borough, but there were rumors that Ms. Carafa's retirement was not the end of her career. This was confirmed when she was hired by Belmar as their finance officer shortly afterward.
In July, Ken Farrell resigned after 10 years as mayor and 16 years serving on the council. Donald Fetzer, council president, had served the borough as long as Ken was selected to succeed him. Don noted Ken's contributions to the town, and Ken was recognized for his commitment to responsible financial stewardship, cutting taxes in nine straight years.
What was not generally known at the time was that Ken was ill. He had a terminal illness, and soon anyone who walked the boardwalk could see that he was struggling on his twice-daily walks. Francis Kennedy Farrell passed away in December 2022, leaving his wife and four children. He was a friend, read more here
New Mayor Fetzer inherited two longstanding issues. The library expansion/borough hall was too hot to touch, but the Recreation Commission and Mike D'altrui wanted action on the long-awaited second paddle tennis court.
Paddle tennis is played on a heated platform with a surrounding fence. The single court in Crescent Park was overbooked since COVID began. Outdoor park usage was high. Pickelball was taking off, and the borough used some of the tennis courts for the dual purpose. The council passed an ordinance to build the second paddle court in Crescent Park. Using the gas line and existing parking would require minimal disruption. A small number of trees needed to be removed.
An early version for the new court (Rice and Brown)
The 2017 Crescent Park Stewardship study opened residents' eyes to the rarity of the maritime forest. The new Conservancy renewed focus on saving green space, and people working from home were utilizing the woods for quiet walks.
Crescent Park from https://www.savecrescentpark.org/
SAVE CRESCENT PARK became a lawn sign and a movement to stop the cutting of trees in the forest for a second court. 300 residents signed a petition. Geraldine O'Keefe, of Seaside Place, was spokesperson for the group. She wrote:
“Cutting down of these mature trees is irrevocable for future generations. The argument that the town will replace each mature tree with two trees is just unacceptable.
The group is adamant that the second court and viewing area will lead to tournaments, more traffic and the need for additional parking and bathrooms. In addition, the construction and destruction to build a paddle ball court and viewing area is environmentally irresponsible, especially in a Maritime Forrest, which we as stewards should be protecting and preserving.."
Herbie Kunz of New York Blvd, countered with his own Coast Star letter,
"We all love Crescent Park. It’s a beautiful place that all residents can enjoy for both active and passive recreation. So if you really want to “Save Crescent Park,” then let’s work together to remove the invasive vines that are killing a huge portion of the trees, and also plant native species that will benefi t the area for future generations. Let’s stop arguing and act like the great community we are. This project was unanimously approved by the Borough Council and the Recreation Commission.
"The plan was accepted by the Shade Tree Commission and supported by the Sea Girt Conservancy, two groups that oversee our trees and green spaces. Our New Jersey Approved Forester put in writing that the project would have no impact to wildlife. What more do you want? We’ve got to be better than this. I respect everyone and understand for some, taking down one tree is too much for them no matter the benefis to fellow residents. But have some respect for those who value people, experiences, health, wellness, memories, fun and friendships over a trivial amount of park space.
Let’s focus on the 99.68 percent over the 0.32 percent. Let’s spend our time and energy to help someone in need, spread kindness, or make someone smile. At the end of the day people matter most."
Creative lawn signs have been a statement since 2020 on the issue of the day. Healthcareheroes,StandwithUkraine, BlackLivesMatter, HappyBirthday, SaveCrescentPark
The town modified the plans to reduce the felling of trees. Over 500 have signed a petition. The second court would wait…