Margate resident Glenn Klotz is on a mission to rebuild the boardwalk that once ran along the shores of this part of Absecon Island.
In 1944, a hurricane swept most of it away. Time to bring back the Margate Boardwalk? Many think so.
Listen to recent interviews on WOND Radio. Dan Klein & David Spatz talk with Glenn Klotz and the Margate Boardwalk Committee:
How would a rebuilt Margate Boardwalk benefit residents and taxpayers? First off, it would smooth over many of the negatives brought about by the controversial dune building project.
Beach pumping and dredging by the Army Corp of Engineers was not welcomed by 99% of Margatians. Installing five, 48 inch, beach sewer pipes only made things worse.
What you should know:
Friends of the Margate Boardwalk Committee is a NJ non-profit 501c3.
A comprehensive report about a new Margate Boardwalk, was developed over the past winter. The report will be presented to the public on Sat. July 13, at Ross School in Margate. 10:30 a.
A petition will be distributed to all Margate taxpayers starting next week. ‘A small step to gauge interest and support of this project’, says Klotz.
Indeed, support is growing. Not surprisingly, there’s opposition too. Most from a small handful of beachfront homeowners who may believe the beach in front of their multi-million homes is personal property.
Cost of Rebuilding the Margate Boardwalk
Construction costs are likely to be a major consideration / concern of taxpayers. Nonetheless, Klotz believes this project is financially feasible. He’ll share the preliminary plan on July 13.
Much more challenging for beachgoers to get the water now. A 14 ft wall of sand to get over.
The outfall beach sewer pipes do solve one problem ( street flooding ) …but the 5 massive outfall pipes create many others.
- Unsightly. Dangerous bolts and hardware.
- Direct dumping of contaminated storm run-off.
- Cuts the beach in half. Creation of a dead zone, between street-end and dune.
- People of Margate voted against the dune & sewer pipe project.
Margate had one of the nicest beaches in the area. Man-made dunes and beach sewer pipes unfortunately ‘industrialized’ this South Jersey Beach.
Horrible idea. Bad enough we have state imposed dunes. Why would Margate want to diminish its property values like Ventnor? A boardwalk is a cheesy idea.
I agree. Let’s not forget about the forever costs on top of the initial cost I like my taxes being where they are, will create more issues than the dunes ever did
Ocean City has a boardwalk and way higher property values. Those two things aren’t correlated.
Agree. I think a group should be mobilized to oppose it. Happy to participate
Excellent Ideal. This will be awesome. Margate residents have no problem using Ventnor’s boardwalk. Go figure!
I really hope the boardwalk can be rebuilt! It would be such a treat to have it back for so many reasons!
Wanna take a walk where there’s a boardwalk and stores? Check out Atlantic City. Wanna take a walk where there’s a boardwalk but no stores? Check out Ventnor. Wanna take a walk where there’s no boardwalk and no stores? Check out Margate. IOW-leave well enough alone.
It would be a great idea . Love the Ventnor boardwalk .
Not paying enough in taxes? Extend the Boardwalk into Margate.
Crime rates not high enough? Extend the Boardwalk.
Want more trash, traffic and noise? Extend the Boardwalk.
Or move to AC, Ventnor or Ocean City.
Ocean City pays nearly 35% less property tax than Margate and they have a boardwalk.
If you want to lower taxes, stop the sweetheart deals given to local business. Eg Lamberti’s renting that property for like $500 per year. They make a ton, then can pay taxes.
As a person who was raised first in Margate and then in Ventnor growing up I loved the boardwalk and would ride my bicycle from Oxford Avenue all the way to the inlet as an adult the boardwalk is relaxing we don’t need stores it’s enjoyable and from the looks of the beach in Margate now I think it might help cover up that mess that you called Sand dune restoration! Obviously there’s a lot of mixed feelings about the boardwalk and I remember the past I no longer live in the area I just think it would be a really nice touch it doesn’t bring crime and stuff from other cities some of the arguments on here or just downright silly except for perhaps the tax issue I think everybody should give it a chance and put it to a vote David Feldman
At first I liked this idea. Then I rode my bike from Lucy to the Trop and realized, no friggin way. The amount of outsiders, bikers, runners and overall weirdos would have easy access to margate’s neighborhoods. The fact there isn’t a boardwalk is exactly the reason Margate is so nice.
News Flash! There are currently multiple streets connecting Margate to those same weirdos. GASP!!
PUT IT TO A VOTE!!
We have not seen the long term impact of all of the dunes , outflow pipes etc and associated costs, that we just lived through for the last two plus years. It seems like adding more construction, debates, new patterns of people flow, taxes, long term maintenance for a boardwalk etc before we have time to see how the current massive changes to the beach topography/environment play out over next 5 years to storms and wear and tear, would be ill-advised. What is the rush? What about time to recover to see the environmental impact and at least have a few years to actually enjoy the beach and get a little mental breather for the community.
It will take years for a planning an approval process to build a boardwalk so we will have plenty of time to look st the unsightly mess of dead zone to see what happens. As a daily rider to the inlet I see the walkers, runners, parents with kids on bikes and strollers all out enjoying the morning. Very few weirdos.
I also schlepp two 90 year olds to the beach at 4:00 each day when the city transport stops.
We need a boardwalk to make their beach accessible to them again. If not them it might be you that won’t be able to hike the dunes one day.
It will enhance Margate not detract.
Bad idea, I see no benefit and more cost and higher taxes. I ask is there another motive to this? I do not know.