By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
In Sea Isle City, there are plenty of places for people to … er, go.
Altogether, Sea Isle has the locations of nine public bathrooms in town listed on the city’s website.
Looking to keep its restrooms in good shape, the city is planning to spend a total of $250,000 in the next two years to improve two public bathrooms in high-profile locations.
City spokeswoman Katherine Custer said the beachfront bathrooms at 40th Street and 85th Street will be upgraded with new plumbing and fixtures.
The city is in the process of getting quotes from construction contractors, so it is not yet known how much the renovations will cost or when they will be done, Custer noted.
The bathroom renovations are included in Sea Isle’s new five-year capital plan, a sweeping blueprint for construction projects and infrastructure improvements throughout the city. The plan calls for spending $150,000 in 2024 for restroom improvements and another $100,000 in 2025.
“We do our best to keep all of our public facilities in tip-top shape,” Custer said.
The men’s and women’s bathrooms at 40th Street may be the most heavily used public restrooms in town.
They are located just steps from the oceanfront Promenade and are also adjacent to the Excursion Park Band Shell, the popular venue for the city’s festivals, summer concerts, movie nights and family dance parties.
New plumbing and fixtures are planned for the 40th Street restroom improvements.
At one point in 2022, the city had considered giving the aging restroom building at 40th Street a more extensive renovation, including new doors, windows and some siding and roof work on the exterior and new lighting fixtures, sinks and hand dryers for the interior.
In 2023, the city replaced the air-conditioning system at the 40th Street restrooms, Custer said.
At the 85th Street bathrooms, the work will include new plumbing and fixtures and addressing some “structural issues,” Custer said.
The public restrooms at 85th Street are located at the entryway to the beach. They are also located next to a children’s playground, ensuring that they are heavily used as well.
The 85th Street restrooms are closed for the offseason, but will be open to the public for the busy summer tourism season.
Custer noted the importance of having so many restrooms available to the public, especially when Sea Isle has tens of thousands of visitors and vacationers in town during the summer.
“Obviously, bathroom facilities are important for every community. With the huge number of people in town here in Sea Isle City, maintaining our restrooms is even more important,” she said.
For more information about Sea Isle City’s public restrooms, including the locations, go to RESTROOMS — Sea Isle City Tourism (visitsicnj.com)
