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Visitors to Asbury Park beaches who pay for their daily beach badge at any of the city’s parking meters can now trade in the printed slips issued at the meter for badges with any of the city’s beach badge checkers.

Previously the receipts issued at the stations could only be traded for badges at the beach office located near the First Avenue beach and satellite booths near the Second, Third, Fifth and Seventh avenue beaches, according to Garrett Giberson, Sr., Asbury Park’s beach utility manager.

“We traded the receipts in at the ticket windows previous years, but this year we changed the procedure to allow the beach badge checkers to accept them so people can avoid the lines at the ticket booths.” he said.

Beachgoers without cash or a check won’t only avoid lines but also have the option to pay with their credit or debit cards, which are not accepted at the booths but are at meters. One of the city’s goals for next summer is to offer credit and debit payment services at the booths, Giberson said.

The response from those who have used the service has been positive, according to Sarah Resnick, a first-year badge checker stationed at the Fifth Avenue beach entrance [shown above, seated].

“Some people don’t know about it yet, but everyone who has done it loves it,” Resnick said . “It’s really convenient for them because the lines get so long at the booth.”

Asbury Park beaches are open on weekends only until June 14 and every day thereafter until Labor Day. Daily badges cost $5 on weekdays and $6 on weekends.

The price of a daily badge remains the same whether it is purchased at a meter or a booths. Two separate transactions are required if parking also needs to be purchased at the meter.

Seasonal badges must be purchased at the beach office or at the satellite booths. Only cash or check is accepted as means of payment. Seasonal passes cost $70 for ages 18-61; $20 for teens [13-17 years of age]; and $20 for seniors age 62 and over.

So far the beaches are doing well, Giberson said. The city’s beach utility brought in over $125,000 over Memorial Day weekend this year, just over three times the nearly $40,000 it brought in over the same weekend last year, he said. Giberson attributes the difference to inclement weather that rolled through the area during the 2013 Memorial Day weekend.

The beach office is located at 820 Ocean Avenue. Current hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call the beach office 732-502-8863.

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