OCEAN CITY — While many enjoyed staying bundled up inside during the recent cold spell, others were aching to get out and do something.
Fortunately, there’s a terrific place on the island where those willing to brave the winter weather can spend an entire day swimming and working out, reading and renting video games, brushing up on their local history or creating and enjoying art — all under one roof.
For those lucky enough to have reached their golden years, there’s also cards and games and a hot lunch on weekdays.
The Ocean City Community Center is located at 1735 Simpson Ave. Inside are the Free Public Library, Aquatic & Fitness Center, Historical Museum, Arts Center and Howard S. Stainton Senior Center.
Newborn to 90-something, one could make a whole day out of exploring the amenities the center has to offer.
Public library
The library is typical of most depositories in that it has two floors full of books, divided into sections based on genre. It also offers programs for young and old featuring book clubs, lectures and seminars with noted authors, as well as special events.
On the first floor, visitors will find children’s books, new arrivals, video game and DVD rentals and a children’s audio and visual room, which is the site of children’s programs, storytimes, concerts and movie screenings.
Children’s librarian Taimi Kelley of Beesleys Point said Winter Storytimes in the Children’s Activity Room are scheduled for Wednesday and Friday through late March. There’s even a Winter Storytime Yoga with Kelli Dougherty at 10 a.m. Jan. 29, Feb. 12 and 26 for children ages 3 to 5. Check oceancitylibrary.org for specific times and ages.
Kelley said the library is busy year-round but definitely busier in the winter when it’s cold outside.
On the second floor is young adult fiction, research materials, soundtracks and a quiet study room. After School Movies are held at 3 p.m. Wednesdays — “The Muppet Movie” is scheduled for Jan. 10 — and there is a thriving Dungeons & Dragons community.
There also are classes for adults. IOS-Workshop, a free computer course, is offered from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Fridays. No registration necessary.
Taking advantage of the children’s reading section last week was Betty Aungst, who brought children June, 6, Wiley, 4, and Adalida, 1, to get out of the house for a while. Aungst said the library gives the children something to do and provides her a chance to meet other moms.
Fitness center
The Aquatic & Fitness Center is a multifaceted facility that encourages people of all ages and fitness levels to participate in programs that help to promote good health.
The center has a 25-meter pool; strength and cardiovascular equipment; an exercise studio for aerobics, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and martial arts; indoor cycling; personal training; a racquetball court; child care and youth programming spaces.
Sisters Carley, left, and Sydney Rossiter work out at the Aquatic & Fitness Center. It’s like a second home to the former OCHS swimmers.
Working out together last week, sisters Carley Rossiter (OCHS 2018) and Sydney Rossiter (OCHS 2021) said they have been enjoying the offerings of not only the fitness center but also the other amenities at the Community Center.
“It’s in town; it’s close. They have a lot of stuff — the pool, sauna, all of this equipment,” said Carley Rossiter, who noted the facility is like a second home to them because they were part of the Red Raiders swim teams.
Island resident Michael Cohan said he started working out at the gym when his son was on the Sea Serpents swim team.
“He would have a two-hour practice, so I would drop him off and come up here and work out,” Cohan said. “It’s got it all.”
“This is a great value. A lot of people come from all over,” said Jack Antos. “It’s very clean and the staff is very helpful.”
Aquatic and Fitness Center Supervisor Lisa Rumer said there are three different gym areas, one with heavy weights for strength training, an area with lighter weights for endurance training and a cardiovascular space with treadmills and recumbent bicycles.
Rumer said like the Community Center as a whole, the Aquatic & Fitness Center caters to clients of all ages.
“That’s what I think is very comfortable about this gym is you might see somebody that is older working out and somebody older might see somebody younger working out and it’s inspiring to both,” she said. “I think we offer a little bit of everything.”
The fitness center is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly memberships are available. Call (609) 398-6900 for more information.
Museum
The nonprofit Ocean City Historical Museum was founded in 1964. Before moving to its current location in 1990, it was located on the first floor of an old elementary school at 409 Wesley Ave.
The museum is home to a myriad of historical artifacts, including a century-old cash register from Stainton’s department store on Asbury Avenue and keys to the Flanders Hotel from the 1960s.
“From shipwrecks to princesses, religious piety to entrepreneurial spirit, Ocean City’s story is shared with more than 10,000 visitors yearly,” according to its website, ocnjmuseum.org. “Our exhibits are updated on an ongoing basis with new artifacts as well as seasonal exhibits and rotating exhibits.”
The museum takes guests back to Ocean City’s humble beginnings when it was simply Peck’s Beach in the 1700s. The city was established as a quiet place for Christians to worship. Ocean City’s religious roots can still be seen today in its multiple churches and prohibition of alcohol sales.
The museum has artifacts and images from centuries past to the present. One of the fan-favorites is the display dedicated to actress Grace Kelly, who spent summers vacationing in Ocean City with her family.
Other permanent exhibits include a timeline of the island’s history along one wall, a display honoring past movie theaters, photos, equipment and memorabilia from the OCBP and a tribute to the Sindia, the city’s famous shipwreck.
Museum Coordinator Carl Wirth said at this time of year, the staff is “starting to engage in enhancing some of the exhibits.”
Right now a model train exhibit is on display for the rest of January and the staff will be starting to work on a Black History Month exhibit, which is set to open Saturday, Feb 2.
Wirth said they have uncovered information about an Ocean City connection to a significant member of the Black community that is not widely known. His excitement was evident but he did not want to say anything further.
Wirth said the nonprofit is hoping to attract volunteers, not only to work in the gift shop but to become docents and be able to guide people around the museum. Admission is free; memberships and donations are welcome.
One exciting project in the works is the cataloguing of archival materials to facilitate research, as the museum also allows its treasures to be examined by the public.
Wirth said, for instance, they have hundreds of photos currently sorted into different topics but there is no way of easily locating a specific item.
He said they also intent to bring in some different types of media, such as a 24-inch touchscreen tablet to display the OCBP photos. They now are displayed on panels but it takes up a lot of space and could be reduced to a single tablet with a searchable contents menu.
Mary Jane Durkin and granddaughter Briar, 2, were checking out the train exhibit on display through the holidays. They were at the Community Center for storytime but were walking through the museum.
“It’s a great opportunity to get out of the house, spend time with her and listen to some stories. Afterward we like to walk around, especially in the winter,” Durkin said.
The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call (609) 399-1801 or email info@ocnjmuseum.org for more information.
Arts Center
Upstairs, the Arts Center displays numerous works for sale by local artists and offers classes and camps in visual and performing arts for children and adults.
Executive Director Chase Jackson said classes for adults and children include painting, pottery, mosaic, ballroom dancing, dance for children, instrumental music lessons and more.
She said some are drop-in weekly, some must be scheduled in advance weekly and some are six- or eight-week courses requiring registration.
The Gallery exhibit changes monthly, featuring different themes. February’s display will be a student and teacher show of visual artists. It’s set to open Feb. 2.
The Ocean City Arts Center also offers children’s summer camps and classes are for children ages 3 to 13. The camps are weekly and divided by style and age. Students can sign up for anything from jazz dancing or comic book art to basket weaving or sculpture.
The Arts Center is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Call (609) 399-7628 for more information.
Senior Center
The Howard S. Stainton Senior Center opened in 2010 in the new larger facility at the Community Center. It offers daily activities such as card games and exercise along with nutritional programs and a hot lunch.
The center is pen 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (609) 399-0055 for information.
Playing cards last week were Jenny Wasiuk, 93, of Ocean City, with friends Cheryl Gallagher of Ocean View and Falitsa Kordomenos of Somers Point.
They have enjoyed spending time at the center for years, coming for cards and games and staying for lunch.
“We love it because I don’t like to cook and we have good lunch, a nice, hot meal,” Wasiuk said, noting cards and Bingo are among her favorites. “It’s better than staying home.”
“We come for the camaraderie. The people here are very nice,” Gallagher said.
“I come for the people,” Kordomenos said.
Outside the Senior Center is the Community Center Cafe, which reopened in July after being closed for a spell. In February, when the city takes over programming at the senior center, Keenan McPeak, who operates the cafe with Alina Kinziabaeva of Ocean City, will be taking over food service for the seniors.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff