Seating, access improvements at Harborview, Douglass parks
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — Park projects in Cape May and Lower Township have moved another step closer to fruition after an advisory committee approved funding.
During a presentation May 13 to the Cape May County Board of Commissioners, Open Space Program Director Scott Mullen, on behalf of the Open Space Advisory Committee, recommended approval and funding for four projects representing a $6.74 million investment of county Open Space funding.
According to a news release, the county’s open space projects are funded primarily through a property tax of 1 cent per $100 of assessed valuation. The tax generates a trust fund dedicated to preserving open space and agricultural land, and has been expanded to include parks, recreational amenities and historic and maritime resource preservation. The program, initiated in 1989, has successfully preserved thousands of acres of land.
Additionally, the county may receive funding from partnerships with the state and municipalities for specific projects.
Mullen outlined projects planned in Cape May, Lower Township, Middle Township and Sea Isle City. Three projects fall under 2024 guidelines, with only one falling under the new 2025 guidelines, according to the release.
Public comment period runs through June 27 and the vote on final approval for funding by the Board of Commissioners is scheduled for July 8.
Harborview Park, Cape May
The site, about 1.5 acres with a boardwalk, is located near the entrance to Cape May and offers scenic views of the water. The $1,605,962 rehabilitation of the site would make it more accessible and provide improvements to outdated amenities.
Improvements would include a new boardwalk with plank pavers, benches, a pavilion, various seating options, landscaping, trees, signage and additional parking including spaces conforming with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The committee recommended funding of $1,397,366.
“It is always great to partner with the county Open Space Program with our city projects. It helps the city enhance the project that it might not be able to do without receiving a grant,” City Manager Paul Deitrich said.
David C. Douglass Memorial Park, Lower Township
The site is situated along Delaware Bay and provides a vista across the Cape May Canal. Highly visible and frequently visited, the park is along the entrance route of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.
The park has been used as a recreational space since the construction of the Cape May Canal, with pavilions built in the early 1970s. The site honors local fallen police officer David Douglass Sr. and includes an existing memorial that would be upgraded as part of the $4,630,630 project.
Each year, the township marks Feb. 18, the day in 1994 when Douglass was killed in the line of duty after exchanging gunfire with a man who was thought to have just burglarized a home and set it on fire.
Douglass was dispatched to the call in North Cape May. As he pursued the burglary suspect on foot, the suspect turned and shot him. Douglass was able to return fire, striking the suspect in the hand, and was able to make it back to his patrol car to call for assistance. However, he did not survive the attack.
The perpetrator was arrested in April in New York City following an intensive investigation.
The flags at Township Hall and the police department are flown at half-staff in memory of his sacrifice and service.
The site is not ADA-friendly and offers only portable restrooms.
Improvements would showcase the beauty of Delaware Bay and revitalize the site and memorial spaces.
The Delaware River and Bay Authority will be funding a related project to provide for utilities and roadway reconstruction, as well as widening Beach Avenue to reach the park.
Improvements would include a restroom building, ADA improvements, a pavilion, railings, a new memorial, signage, benches, tables, bike racks, trash receptacles, lighting and landscaping.
The committee recommended funding of $2,139,567. The DRBA is expected to fund $1.5 million.
Clarence and Georgina Davies (Goshen) Complex, Middle Township
The site is about 60 acres and located near Atlantic Cape Community College and the Cape May County Bike Trail Spur.
The existing fields have issues with sustaining consistent play conditions. The site sees heavy usage throughout the year with a variety of sports fields and a recently renovated playground.
Improvements would make all the fields usable and available to the public. The $4,910,290 project would expand recreational offerings across 10 defined fields for baseball, soccer, lacrosse, softball and football.
The committee recommended funding of $2,455,145.
Beach Amenities Station and ADA Dune Crossover, Sea Isle City
The site is located along Landis Avenue on the north section of Sea Isle across the street from the beach.
It has a county-constructed parking lot for beachgoers and a Sea Isle City-constructed dog park that received a previous Open Spaces Grant. The $866,045 project would offer better access to the beach and added amenities.
The committee recommended funding of $752,440.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Cape May Star and Wave
