The ramp to the right at JFK Boulevard is among several that connect to the Promenade and make it more accessible.
By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Just in time for the summer tourism season, Sea Isle City is moving into the digital age with a new multimedia sign to promote the town and its special events.
The digital message sign occupies a prominent spot next to Excursion Park at the entranceway to the Promenade at the ocean end of John F. Kennedy Boulevard.
“Smile! You’re in Sea Isle!” the sign proclaims to everyone walking by it.
The sign can be programmed with different messages to advertise just about anything the city wants to promote, including its lineup of family-friendly entertainment and special events over the summer.
“We will be using it for event information and other information that people want to know,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said.
Purchased by the city’s Tourism Office for $11,545, the sign was activated on Tuesday and is already being used to advertise the Sea Isle Garden Club’s flower sale this Saturday and Sunday at Dealy Field.
Another message flashing on the sign lets people know that Sea Isle is switching to a cashless payment system for parking fees this summer with the 
An information kiosk at the foot of the Promenade also includes old-fashioned paper listings of Sea Isle's upcoming events, as well as the multimedia sign.
Although the sign’s main purpose is promotional, it will also include basic information such as the date, time and temperature.
Custer said the city may also use the sign to provide important information during an emergency.
“Certainly, there’s no reason we couldn’t use it for emergencies,” she said.
The high-tech sign will be easy to read both during the day and at night. It represents a significant upgrade from an old, low-tech message sign that Sea Isle once used at the same location before it was removed eight years ago.
“You could only see it at night,” Custer said. “It was early technology and did not work very well.”
At the same time Sea Isle is entering the digital age, the city will also continue to use old-fashioned paper listings to advertise its upcoming entertainment and special events.
Both the new sign and the paper listings are attached to an information kiosk located next to Excursion Park by the JFK Boulevard entryway to the Promenade.
