On Tuesday, I was very pleased to attend the preconstruction meeting for Sea Isle City’s future Community Center – and to meet representatives from Ernest Bock & Sons, Inc., the company that will be performing the construction.
That meeting was the first step in the building process; and before long, Bock & Sons will begin to bring construction equipment on-site. Therefore, we can all look forward to seeing “shovels in the ground” in the weeks ahead.
Once we have confirmed the construction schedule, we will determine a date for our official Groundbreaking Ceremony, which I anticipate will take place on a Saturday morning soon after the contractor begins work.
The ceremony will be open to the public, and anyone who wants to participate can literally shovel some dirt and be part of this historic event. So, please be on the lookout for information about our Groundbreaking Ceremony, which will be coming your way in the near future.
There are many reasons that our Community Center will benefit the people of Sea Isle City and serve our community well. For example, it will be the new home for the members of our local civic organizations, who will enjoy spacious meeting rooms, a modern kitchen, and other terrific amenities.
This important facility will also be where a variety of community and recreation activities will take place – thanks to the building’s dedicated exercise room, huge gymnasium, elevated walking and jogging track, and the other features that will make our Community Center stand out.
That being said, I want to make sure everyone realizes that you don’t have to wait until the Community Center is completed to enjoy the many recreation programs that are currently taking place here in Sea Isle City.
In addition to the popular fitness classes that are offered each week at our Community Lodge (adjacent to the Welcome Center), this spring our Recreation Staff is hosting a variety of other enjoyable options that are sure to please, including a new Walking Club, which takes place on Tuesday and Thursday mornings along the Promenade, Family Roller Skate Nights at the Dealy Field hockey court, an Easter Kids Craft After School Party, and a family-friendly Scavenger Hunt – each of which will be a lot of fun.
If you need more information about these or the other recreation events that are being hosted by our city employees this year, please phone the Dealy Field Recreation Office at 609-263-0050 – or just stop-by to say “hello” during regular business hours.
In other news, construction of our future Dog Park is coming along very well, and before long we will be announcing the date of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for that facility.
For those who may not be aware, the Dog Park is being built in our north end near 8th Street, and it will offer plenty of fun for your four-legged friends. The park will also include a picnic pavilion, a bicycle repair station, and other features that humans can utilize.
I hope you can spend Saint Patrick’s Day weekend here at your favorite seaside town, because Sea Isle City is always a great place to wear some green attire, “shake your shillelagh,” and celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in grand style.
So, don’t miss out on the fun that awaits everyone during the weekend of March 16th and 17th – and if you want to show your true Irish spirit, be sure to purchase a limited edition 2024 Saint Patrick’s Beach Tag, while they are still available.
Once again, I would like to remind everyone how important it is to put your trash and recyclables in rigid containers with lids when placing them on the curb for collection.
In addition to our local ordinance prohibiting trash and recycling being placed on the curb in just a plastic bag, doing so can also be very bad for the environment because seagulls and other wildlife have become extremely skilled at breaking open plastic bags and allowing what should be hauled away to blow down the street and become a problem for your neighbors, our waterways, and the wetlands.
So, please show Mother Nature that you care, and use the required trash and recycling receptacles that will help ensure that what you put on the curb stays on the curb until our Department of Public Works arrives to collect your trash and recycling properly.
I would like to wish local property owner Jason Kelce (#62) all the best as he ends his career as the center for the Philadelphia Eagles. I hope that he and his family are able to spend many happy days here in Sea Isle City as the future hall of famer enjoys his retirement from the gridiron and starts the next chapter of his life. Thank you for making the sport of football so exciting, Jason!
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to Mike and Jeannie Monichetti for successfully hosting their annual Mike’s Seafood Run-Walk for Autism over Presidents Weekend. I am so happy that the Monichetti’s yearly fundraiser has become the anchor for Sea Isle’s Presidents Weekend activities, and I look forward to seeing their event return each February for many years to come. Thank you, Mike and Jeannie!
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
