The Hiering Avenue parking facility, where a shower and changing facility has been proposed, Aug. 2023. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Seaside Heights officials believe a grant that could fund a $1.6 million pavilion off the beach that would include hot showers and changing rooms that are automatically cleaned and sanitized after use could be the solution to complaints from both residents and day-trippers to the borough.
While Mayor Anthony Vaz admitted the grant proposal might be something of a long shot – and the borough would not be spending tax dollars on such a big-ticket item without it – the modern take on an oceanside bath house is seen as an amenity that could make an immediate impact in improving quality-of-life in the borough and supporting the business community.
“The grant has gone through stage one thanks to Congressman [Chris] Smith,” said Vaz. “If we do get it, it’s $1.6 million, and we’re looking to do something very attractive – good, quality showers and a retail shop.”
The borough operated showers and changing rooms off the beach until Superstorm Sandy washed away an older facility. That facility sometimes drew complaints over cleanliness, but was particularly old and not built to modern standards.
“The old bath house was built in the 1920s,” said Councilman Harry Smith. “The number one thing we hear about today are bathrooms and changing rooms.”
The Hiering Avenue parking facility, where a shower and changing facility has been proposed, Aug. 2023. (Photo: Shorebeat)
The pavilion would be built off Hiering Avenue in the northernmost section of town, on a portion of the large municipal parking lot that currently exists there. The facilities would resemble those found more commonly in Europe and other world cities, where an attendant would authorize access to a customer, then press a button that automatically cleans and sanitizes the facility after use.
“It’s not like what we had back then before the storm, or on the boardwalk,” said Vaz.
Two Sides to the Story
The proposal did face pushback from one resident who attended Wednesday’s borough council meeting.
“I’m concerned because of what happened last time,” said resident Delores Alexander. “At one point we had a little stand there that the borough leased out, and it was perfect, but the bath houses were filthy.”
The modern cleaning apparatus would solve the issue people had with the former facility, the mayor said, emphasizing that he receives complaints from both directions when it comes to showers and changing areas.
“We’ve had an outcry from the public that they have nowhere to shower or to change, and at the same time we get complaints from people in town who are concerned about people changing in the streets,” Vaz said. “We need it. We need clean bathrooms.”
The Hiering Avenue parking facility, where a shower and changing facility has been proposed, Aug. 2023. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Council members agreed that a lack of shower facilities and changing rooms has driven a plethora of complaints from both sides, and they are more common than many realize. A clean, modern facility would also be a potential boon to the business community, officials said, since day-trippers to the borough would have an opportunity to wash up after the beach and change into nicer clothes to spend the evening in town.
“We can’t forget that we’re a tourism town,” said Vaz. “We’re not Seaside Park and we’re not Lavallette. We’re a business-oriented community, and we derive funding from these businesses. We want nice families to come here, and they do need a place to change.”
Seaside Heights already owns the land on which the pavilion would be constructed. It is currently operated as a parking facility with a surface of gravel and hard-packed sand, and is leased to a private operator who manages it under the supervision of the borough.
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