TODAY'S AC PRESS
 
By TRUDI GILFILLIAN, Staff Writer | Posted: Thursday, January 21, 2010 | 3 comments
 
WILDWOOD - The Boardwalk Special Improvement District's plans for the 2010 summer season include a possible overhaul of the Boardwalk's popular Friday night fireworks displays.
 
Patrick Rosenello, executive director of the district, said Tuesday that the agency hopes to turn the displays into bigger spectacles featuring coordinated music along with a laser light show.
 
The agency is interviewing companies for the project, with plans of adding the new features for the 2010 season.
 
The weekly displays, which will begin at 10 p.m. starting this summer, are expected to cost $55,000, according to the district's spending plan. The additional Fourth of July display costs $26,250.
 
The agency's budget requires the approval of both North Wildwood and Wildwood, the two cities home to the two-mile-long Boardwalk.
 
Merchants along the Boardwalk pay an assessment to support the district's seasonal programs, with property owners in North Wildwood paying a rate of 3.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and owners in Wildwood paying 5.8 cents.
 
Those rates are based on the geographical split along the Boardwalk, which places 80 percent of the walk in Wildwood and the remaining 20 percent in North Wildwood.
 
The improvement district includes 110 separately owned properties representing about 225 individual businesses.
 
The budget for 2010 comes to $1.3 million, up slightly from 2009.
 
Part of the increase can be attributed to an increase in tram car revenues made possible in 2009 with a fare increase, a discount sales program and a partnership with Morey's Piers that allowed the pier operation to sell the tram car tickets.
 
Norris Clark, director of marketing and sales for Morey's Piers, said the sales programs benefited the company by giving patrons an easy way to buy tickets and move between the piers.
 
Holiday tram car ticket sales were also very strong, Clark said.
 
Fares are $2.50 for a one-way ride, and that rate will remain in place in 2010, Rosenello said.
 
With the rate, up from $2.25, and the other sales programs, tram revenue was up about 13 percent from 2008.
 
Rosenello said the increase was welcome given the shape of the nation's  
 

My Wildwood vacations the past few years have generally been "arrive on Sunday, leave on Saturday".  So the Friday Night Fireworks always sorta put a "stamp" on the end on my stay, which is bittersweet to say the least.  It's pretty much the last "boardwalk thing" I experience before I call it a night and head back to my motel for a good night's sleep before my long trek home to Massachusetts early the next morning.  It's cool to watch them, but at the same time sad to know that my vacation has come to a close.  Without getting overly sappy here, as I'm watching them I think about all the great times & fond memories I created during the past week; which once again solidifies just why I love Wildwood so much.  They do a great job with them too; it's no quick or boring display.  One of these years I'm gonna time it just right and watch them atop the Giant Wheel!  And the fact that they're even considering spending extra money upgrading the show with music & lasers in this down economy is something I think the Boardwalk Special Improvement District should be commended for.  I hope this comes to fruition and I can't wait to see the "new & improved 'works" this summer......

I have seen twice now the word "bittersweet" used to describe the feeling of a soon to be over vacation. It really is the perfect word. The dull ache-for me-in the pit of my stomach although I am still there in the place I love experiencing that feeling, I know that tomorrow I must leave it. I'm glad for the privilege of having a place that completely satisfies me and a focus of looking forward to getting there whenever I can.  
 

Quote from FlyinGN on Jan 25^th, 2010, 8:12am:

Interesting Frank. I'm not sure how many are as intensely devoted to the place as we are, but one thing I can say I've repeatedly observed: the Wildwoods make people feel good. How do I know that? Because they smile at me in public for no reason at all. Which is very cool.

Please bear with me. I have a tendency to wax nostalgic with things I love, a new trait that didn't arrive until past the half century mark. This thread reminds me consciously of a thought that is most of the time subconscious. Until I first saw this forum I guess I was a one man band holding in a new love of the Wildwoods. I couldn't fully express it because most in my immediate family are not as smitten as me. In that sense my love was stifled. Seeing this forum for the first time was a most liberating thing for me. I was able to come out of the closet so to speak . Seeing people with as much, and probably most with more, love of the Wildwoods gave me the opportunity to express my love. I really love this forum and appreciate the members. Having people respond with kind words to a trip report that while the itinerary may have not been the most exciting and earth shattering, was never the less appreciated by this forum's members simply because they/we get it. Being able to share and enjoy other peoples experiences in the Wildwoods simply by reading their accounts and they mine, is just a great thing and I love it. I guess I'm off topic so let me say, the fireworks are great!