Debut of 5,000 Pound Fire Hydrant Art Installation
Invites Fido and Friends for Contests, Freebies, and More on August 15
The Wildwoods, NJ(August 6, 2014)– The City of Wildwood is giving pups another reason to wag their tails this summer with the unveiling of a new art piece at the Wildwoods Dog Beach on Friday, August 15. An ode to man’s best friend, the 25 feet tall, fire-engine red hydrant art display is a gift to the city from Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Water Parks in celebration of the Wildwoods’ first-ever, dog dedicated beach.
Constructed from recycled parts of an old Morey’s amusement ride, the public art project was designed and built by architect Rich Stokes and Morey’s Piers’ artBOX resident artists, David Macomber, and the father and son team of Peter J. Bieling and Pete C. Bieling. A cultivated addition to the Fido-friendly, seaside play area, the 5,000 pound structure is detailed with bones, dog paws and a squirrel perched on top. It also pays special recognition to the Wildwood Fire Department and two volunteer units – HBFD (Holly Beach Fire Dept.) and WFD#1 (Wildwood Fire Dept. #1).
Mayor Ernest Troiano, Commissioners Pete Byron and Anthony Leonetti will lead the unveiling ceremonies starting at 11:00am, joined by Will and Jack Morey, second-generation partners of Morey’s Piers. The Wildwood Fire Department will be on site with fire apparatus to shoot water sky high in celebration of the unveiling as well as to provide drinking water for all the four-legged guests in attendance.
In a joint statement from both the City of Wildwood and Jack Morey they commented, “This project is a great example of how public and private sectors can work together to advance a great beach resort in a fittingly fun and quirky manner.”
Pet owners attending the event will receive customized souvenir Frisbees along with information on pet-friendly hotel accommodations and events in the area. For a full list of dog-friendly hotels and events, visit www.wildwoodsnj.com. The August 15 unveiling celebration will also feature a guest appearance by Wildwoods beloved “Fudgy Wudgy Man” handing out free dog biscuits, and a costume contest for pooches wearing their best “Wildwood pride.”
On June 14, 2014, the City of Wildwood opened its first dog-friendly beach at Poplar Avenue, stretching one city block wide and 1,500 feet long. Dogs visiting the Wildwoods area are now welcome to join their families on the beach and to swim in the ocean within this designated dog beach area. Fresh water and dog clean-up bags are available and the beach is open every day from 6:00am until dusk. All dogs must remain on leashes.
For more information on The City of Wildwood or the new dog beach art sculpture unveiling, visit www.wildwoodnj.org.
About the City of Wildwood
The City of Wildwood was incorporated in 1912 and is situated on a barrier island comprised of five separate municipalities consisting of Wildwood, North Wildwood, West Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and Diamond Beach, which is governed by Lower Township. During the off season Wildwood has a population over 5,400 according to the 2000 census, but the number of people visiting increases that number to approximately 250,000 or more during peak vacation time.
Wildwood is a family resort with plenty of activities to keep our visitors of all ages entertained. We offer a wide variety of restaurants, amusement piers and water recreation of all sorts. Our museum can provide you with lots of information about our history and our fine public service departments’ work very hard to ensure that each visitor’s experience is a pleasant one, creating new memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. For more information, visit www.wildwoodnj.org or phone (609) 522-2444.