The City of Wildwood, NJ is know for it’s safest, free and big beaches, but all that might change this March when residents may get to vote if they want the city to charge a beach fee for the first time in over 100 years.
The city is trying to pull itself out of debt and beach fees would bring much needed revenue. Will it be up for a vote? Maybe, and will it pass? Maybe, when you can you go to North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest beaches still for free, YES.. so the question is would you pay to go on the beach in Wildwood? If you can walk a few blocks and go to a free beach?
My take on all of this is…. it will only work if the entire island charges beach fees otherwise Wildwood beach will look like the Sahara Desert, and it’s not likely North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest are even thinking about this.
If you take the people you are going to hire to check beach tags and have them walk the beach with a beach bucket that has a slot in the top to put the money in with a locking lid on it, or stand where you go onto the beach and ask for donations in all 3 towns you will generate a lot of revenue.. put lock boxes on the tramcar for donations, use social media and email to ask for donations..have stores ask if you want to donate a dollar for the beach? And put a lock box there…. and where you walk on and off the boardwalk put boxes.
People for generations have spent every day of their summer vacation on the FREE Wildwood beach, and I am sure they would donate a dollar or two because they love the safest, wide, white, beautiful sandy beaches, but I bet they will still pick the FREE beaches a few blocks away if they have a choice.
Stay with this blog for more news on this story as it happens.