The laughing gulls find the concept of man-made global warming laughable, given that the local daily temperature has rarely risen above the mid sixties since the gulls’ arrival in early April. On the other hand, laughing gulls find almost everything pretty much laughable. What never seems to amuse them, though, are the early summer flood tides. The parents fly around frantically, watching their nests float away, while their offspring paddle around rather calmly.
We’re approaching the end of June now, and the marshes are just beginning to reach full greenness. Weekend crowds here on the island can hardly be considered crowds, although most of the remaining motels seem to be booked to capacity on weekends. The somewhat sparse crowds can probably be attributed to the unusually cool and rainy spring we’ve experienced. Normal people don’t really like spending too much time in the motel rooms they rent at the shore.
Good news happens at times, and it’s good to see that Wildwood decided to repaint the giant beach balls at the end of Rio Grande Avenue. They’re not quite as shiny as the originals, but they look better than when they were covered with large splotches of white, as if they were suffering from vitiligo.
In other good news, it looks as if most of the scheduled paving has been completed in the Wildwoods, including Seaview Avenue in the Crest, and Surf Avenue in North Wildwood. The new parking along the center islands on Surf has the potential of causing many accidents because of blocked views.
In some ways, I hate to see some streets repaved. Many of the main thoroughfares on the island sport the same pavement we rode our bikes on over fifty years ago. Many are still in good shape, such as parts of Atlantic Avenue in the Crest. Very nostalgic, I suppose.
Wildwood city planners now talk about finishing off Pacific Avenue, and they envision streets adorned with LED lighting. Where do they get these ideas? Many streets, including some main thoroughfares, in Wildwood desperately need repaving, and all planners can think about is adding LED lighting? That’s the downside of state grant money.
Admittedly, Rio Grande Avenue looks much better than it did, but after that, then what? Ocean Avenue looks good, but does anyone care about all the other bumpy and unsightly streets, other than those who have to drive them?
A number of eyesores exist on the island, particularly at Rio Grande and Ocean Avenues, where the Rio Motel once stood. Apparently, unless or until the present mayor gets his high-rise hotels, visitors will be punished with this unsightly vacant lot, surrounded by a chain-link fence, right across from the proud giant beach balls and the Wildwood sign. You’d think they could at least landscape the lot, for all the money they paid to not build something. The Cedar/Schellenger area near Atlantic Avenue also needs a makeover, and who would complain if someone accidentally bulldozed down Schellenger’s Landing? Just kidding about the last. . . I think.
The island has changed over the years, and I guess it’s difficult for those of us who grew up here to not remember what it used to be like. While it’s true that demographics have shifted with changing times, it’s not true that vacant areas left by the removal of structures should be left to resemble urban blight. Many of the visitors will probably remember the town as a place where a lot of construction appears to be ongoing, with nothing actually being built. Most communities require strict property maintenance requirements after a structure has been removed.
The Wildwoods are still a great place for family vacations, but wouldn’t it be better if parts of the town sported a better appearance to visitors?