The newly installed shower tower platform at Webster and boardwalk. (Photo by Catherine Galioto)
It will be easier to quickly wash off sand as you head off the beach, as Seaside Heights plans to add more open-air showering faucets along the boardwalk.
Known as shower towers, the outdoor showers are used by beachgoers to quickly wash off sand. The water is cold, and is not like the bathing areas in that they are public, and to be used while clothed. It essentially is a shower faucet or fountain.
“It’s going to be more convenient to have these shower towers,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz. The borough council is deciding the language of the rules of the shower towers for its next meeting, he said.
Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz said the boardwalk never really had these facilities before, instead only having some spigots. There’s also a private vendor that operates the bathrooms and private showers on the boardwalk.
The borough administrator said the public, open-air style ones come in several varieties, for example some have more faucets than others.
“There are some that are regular shower pedestals and some have fountains. Some are accessible for people in wheelchairs — there are different styles,” said Christopher Vaz.
He added that this type of amenity hasn’t been in Seaside Heights in a long while, but nearby beaches have them, such as Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park.
“Most modern facilities have them,” he added.
There will be eight of them open in time for Memorial Day weekend, Christopher Vaz said, and most were already installed last week.
They will sit on what are now platforms for the old beach ramps at the end of blocks. New beach ramps will be built mid-block, he said.
“We took advantage of the old platforms — since the ramps will now be mid-block — and put them on the spot where the old ramps connected to the boardwalk,” he said.
The eight shower platforms are located throughout the entire stretch of the boardwalk.
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