Ocean Grove, New Jersey, Pier Closed Due To Loose Piling
Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association closed Ocean Grove pier! Not the boardwalk, the pier that extends into the ocean at Embury Avenue.
The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association is the group that owns and manages the Ocean Grove Pier. They announced on their social media page due to a structural issue. They announced it on December 12th. The accompanying post’s picture shows plywood blocking the entrance from the Ocean Grove boardwalk onto the pier
According to the post: “The construction company and the engineers have been made aware that a single piling is loose.”
This wouldn’t be the first piling on the new Ocean Grove pier that has come loose. Reports are that another piling became loose earlier in 2023. At that time and now again, residents have pointed out that the design used for the Ocean Grove pier lacks elements that will help it stand up to the constant pressure from the sea. At this time, a timeline for the repair of the structure is unknown.
The Ocean Grove Pier is currently closed.
The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association is currently at odds with the state of New Jersey. They are discussing the blocking of the Ocean Grove beach access during the summer months. The association blocks access to the beach on Sunday mornings from 9 am until 12 noon. The only reason that the association blocks beach access on Sunday mornings is the small town’s ties to being a religious community. Methodist Christians founded Ocean Grove as an oceanfront retreat.
However, the state says that the blocking of beach access runs counter to New Jersey’s Coastal Area Facility Review Act. Reports say that the Ocean Grove Camp Association could face a daily fine of $25,000 for blocking access to Ocean Grove beach during the summer of 2024.
For now, there aren’t restrictions on beach access. The boardwalk itself is open, but they closed the cross-shaped pier that stretches over the Atlantic Ocean until further notice.
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