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Editor, the Asbury Park Sun:

As an Asbury Park visitor and resident since 1946, I cannot believe that there are voters who do not realize the revitalization of our city by the city council members since 2001. My teenage years were spent cheering and dancing in Convention Hall. I remember dancing every Saturday evening to the music from Vaugh Monroe to Al Martino. Mixing with Judy Garland in her suite at the Paradise to Dean Martin at the Rainbow Club.

As I matured I became aware of the changes. In fact my daughters and I were stopped as we entered the Asbury Circle on that fateful day of the riots. Seeing an armed National Guard member stopping people is a scene I have never forgotten. The city had begun to fail. Losing the stores, restaurants, gas stations, added to the loss I felt with the absence of name bands, celebrities, movie theatres, merchants, boardwalk, and the tall locked wire fences around so many businesses. The beaches were gone along with the boarding houses.

Driving down Cookman Avenue, seeing nothing but boarded store fronts, made me resolve that I would do my best to give the city I love to my daughters to love. Unfortunately I was too anxious. There was too much to do. I joined committees and met Kevin Sanders, John Loffredo, Jim Bruno and Kate Mellina. It was like an epiphany. These people wanted to bring Asbury Park back to its earlier glory. That’s when I joined the team. So I couldn’t give my girls the city, but I can proudly say my grandkids love it. They see the packed beaches with folks strolling, sunning, and enjoying Asbury Park. They are always at the fun-filled bars. Yes they are that old!

Recalling the empty boardwalk then from the Deal Lake Drive to Ocean Grove except for a few dog walkers and seeing it now where there is action all along the boardwalk because by then, Ed Johnson
and Sue Henderson joined the team.

The Jazz Chill Out at the new Transportation Center, The Springwood Avenue Redevelopment, the Waterfront and the central business section resident controlled Redevelopment Commission , the new streets and sidewalks, the street lights, the upgrades and replacements of businesses and apartment complexes, and my favorite, the Springwood Avenue Center which houses the city senior center are present due to the incumbents.

The sights, the sounds, and the smells of the food vendors, the musicians, and all the events are due to
the efforts of the incumbents. Why is anyone in denial? Can’t they see the changes for the better? Elect
Forward Asbury Park. Push buttons one, two, three, four and five to Keep Asbury Alive!!

— Marianne “Miz Kiz” Kislowski, Asbury Park

[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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