Mayor cites precautions due to COVID-19; beach replenishment continues
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY – Mayor Jay Gillian canceled special events in Ocean City through October, including the annual Baby Parade and the Fall Block Party.
Previously, the city canceled most of the events during the summer to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the ongoing pandemic that has killed nearly 16,000 New Jersey residents and infected more than 185,000.
The city, like most communities throughout New Jersey, went into lockdown in March under regulations from Gov. Phil Murphy. Although the governor allowed more businesses to open beginning around Memorial Day, there have been limits on those businesses and on social gatherings.
Ocean City canceled events through the spring and, as the coronavirus continued to impact the state, canceled events through most of the summer, including the popular family events at the Music Pier such as taffy sculpting, concerts and pageants.
On Friday, Aug. 7, Gillian wrote in his letter to the public on the city’s website that he was cancelling a host of other popular events well into the fall.
“I continue to be in regular contact with local hospital officials,” Gillian wrote in his Mayor’s Corner column. “While we have been fortunate so far this summer to avoid a major spike in coronavirus cases, the doctors urge continued caution. Today, I am announcing the cancellation of all special events through October – including the Baby Parade, the September air shows, the Corvette Show on the Boardwalk, the OCNJ Half Marathon, and the Fall Block Party.”
He added, “It would be irresponsible to stage events that attract dense crowds. We cannot let our guard down. Please continue to avoid large gatherings and please continue to wear face coverings in all public places.”
Beach replenishment
In his letter, the mayor noted the dredge Ohio, which has been at work pumping sand onto Ocean City’s northend beaches as part of a replenishment project, was taken to safe harbor during Tropical Storm Isaias, but was now back to work.
The mayor said the work, handled by the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. under the auspices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was continuing near the Seventh Street jetty and was expected to finish its southward push by this coming Saturday.
Work began in early July around Morningside Road and has been progressing south to the 13th Street beach. When that is complete, the work will head north from Seaview Road.
In all, the beach replenishment project is expected to add more than 1.5 million cubic yards of sand to rebuild about 2.1 miles of beaches in the north end. The work is expected to be finished by Aug. 28.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project in the south end was completed this past January.
“The newly rebuilt beaches are clean and wide, and they provide the protection from storms that forms the basis of this Army Corps of Engineers program,” Gillian wrote. “I want to thank all of our residents and guests for their patience as this work continues. While it was not Ocean City’s choice to schedule this project in the summer season, I want to thank our partners at the federal and state level for their support and funding of this essential program.”