As reported by OCNJ Daily, a pair of abandoned gas stations in Ocean City, NJ, have been an eyesore on the community. With no investors showing much interest in the properties, the city has decided to convert them into one glorious green space.
The goal is to create a better “welcome mat” for people driving into town via a well-traveled bridge.
Initial aspirations are to landscape the area with grass, trees, benches and a brick walkway. Other potential landscape elements include a gazebo. Additionally, should the project receive a green light, the space will be elevated two to three feet to help protect against flooding. A retaining wall is also in the plan.
A town hall meeting fielded several suggestions from residents, including open space, playgrounds, bird-watching areas and rain gardens.
The mayor held a town hall meeting in October to gather suggestions from the public on how to give the Ninth Street corridor a facelift. Ideas included open space, new parks, children’s playgrounds, boat slips and a series of environmentally friendly attractions ranging from bird-watching areas to rain gardens.
