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To the Editor, Asbury Park Sun:

The building of a membership-based private pool club on the north end Asbury Park oceanfront next to a public boardwalk and beach creates damaging environmental consequences to our fragile, changing natural resource coast. In addition the development shows disrespect to our predominantly African American and Hispanic population who cannot afford nor have access to the private pool club. They continue to suffer from socioeconomic segregation in the City today.

Those who are responsible for allowing this to occur at a time of global pandemic, social unrest and climate change should be ashamed. 

The result of over a year of protests generated by Save Asbury’s Waterfront (SAW) will culminate in a via Zoom Asbury Park Planning Board meeting on September 14, 2020. Saw’s mission includes maximizing social inclusion, provide access for residents and visitors on Asbury Park’s waterfront plus sensitivity to wildlife habitats, pollution, and other environmental concerns.

This planning board meeting may be the last chance we have to preserve our natural resource oceanfront, protect our diverse, forward-looking social inclusive culture of Asbury Park. 

We the people cannot let this unnecessary inappropriate private pool club happen on the last remaining undeveloped open space adjacent to the coastline in Monmouth County.

Joyce Grant,  Environmental and Social Justice Activist

Asbury Park, NJ

[This letter represents the opinion of its writer and is not representative of any opinion of the Asbury Park Sun staff. All readers are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor to news@asburyparksun.com for our consideration. For guidelines on letter-writing and submission, click here.]

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