Hey guys. I’ve created this category for you to discuss anything and everything that YOU want to talk about concerning the Wildwoods. Normally, we will post editorials or discussions on various issues of the moment, like the JCOW fiasco, or whether the demo boom is over, or what will the Wildwoods be like once the new “Wildwood-25’s get built, and you would comment on the subject.
But this category will be the place for you to bring up any special topic that is close to YOUR heart. Whether you just want to get something off your chest, or want to ask a question about something that is bothering you. Or maybe you might want to know something about the Wildwoods that only someone who lives here all the time can answer, like where was the original boardwalk and when did it get moved to its current location. Or how about just how many elected politicians are there on this one small island, each trying to maintain his or her own little pice of the kingdom?
Whatever you want to discuss. If we don’t know the answer right away, either we’ll try and get it for you, or one of our other readers can answer it for you. As Joan Rivers might say, “Can we talk?”
This is the place.
Thom Fontannaz (The Wildwoods)
Why don’t they have the signs that say “Don’t Feed The Seagulls”….in French??
;>)
Comment by mickeyfinz — March 2, 2007 @ 5:59 pm
Mickey – I never thought about it, really. Feeding the seagulls IS illegal, but no one ever took the law seriously. How they going to stop you, you know.
In fact, NW recently had to pass an ordinance making feeding wildlife illegal. I think the state forced them to pass it because a couple of the councilmen even joked about enforcing the law WHILE they were passing it. They passed the law but didn’t seem to take it very seriously.
On your question about signs in French. I can only guess no one ever really thought about it. French Canadian visitors aren’t as numerous in recent years as they used to be. Besides, with all the foreign students working in the Wildwoods in the summer, as well as the huge local population from different countries in Latin America, frankly the French language is probably extremely low on the priority list, ya know?
They would have to have signs in 47 different languages!
Thom F -(The Wildwoods)
Comment by thewildwoodsreporter — March 2, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
Is it me?
I’m not quite sure if I have the correct site to leave a “Letter to the Editor” on any subject, or am I on the site that is a reply to feeding the seagulls?
Maybe a little clarification is needed for people with thick heads like me.
Bossman Mike
Comment by Mike Smalley — March 7, 2007 @ 8:50 am
Yeah, Mike. This is the correct place. “Letters to the editor” is for you to bring up any topic YOU want to discuss. The others are like editorials in a standard newspaper. They’re opinions on subjects in the news, or important things happening around the Wildwoods that you can comment on. But the letters to the editor post is the place for you to bring up subjects near and dear to your heart.
Thom Fontannaz (The Wildwoods)
Comment by thewildwoodsreporter — March 7, 2007 @ 11:19 am
I heard that NW passed a law last yr requiring certain footage and set backs for new construction that would some how eliminate the “shoebox” condos…ones that are placed one on top of the other w/connecting outside steps. I don’t think the wording is that obvious, but rather put in a clever way that will make the builders plan a more attractive building. Do you have any details?
Comment by mickeyfinz — April 3, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Sorry, Mick. You have me stumped on this one. I haven’t heard anything on this subject yet. How about anyone else? Anyone else know anything?
Thom
The Wildwoods
Comment by Thom Fontannaz — April 3, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
Hi Thom — Do you think that they will ever consider bringing back the train service to the Wildwoods? A lot of folks that I know are now commuting to Phila each day and would love to take the train like they had years ago. My family used to visit the Wildwoods by leaving 30th St. station in Philly and arriving at Oak Ave in Wildwood and going directly across the street to a rooming house – there used to be a small playground right near the train station too – I actually have a photo of me back in the late 50’s on one of those spinning things that all the playgrounds had back then. In any event, my guess is that the ground is worth too much money these days to use it for a train station – but one could dream. It would certainly cut down on the parking problems we have! Take care and thanks for the forum and all the great information.
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — September 12, 2007 @ 5:44 am
Hi, Carol. I remember the train service as much as you do. I was born in Wildwood and can remember my friends and myself putting nickels on the tracks to watch the train squish them. But I’m afraid the days of commuter trains to the Wildwoods are long gone. First, there is absolutely no land available for them anymore. Even the old train station was bought and developed by Mr. DiDonato for his gated townhouse community.
Second, the state DEP would probably never allow the meadowlands coming into the Wildwoods to be developed any longer. No new construction is allowed on tidal marsh land in the state of NJ, I think.
And last, the trains were so successful back then simply because the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway hadn’t been developed yet. Once those two major roads became available – at the same time more and more people became able to buy their own cars – the days of the trains were numbered. Basically, it became quicker, and a lot more comfortable, for people to drive down in their own cars instead of riding loud, uncomfortable, and smelly trains. Remember most of them were diesels but I think I remember a couple of the older ones being run by coal. They really stank!.
This isn’t my opinion, it’s established historical fact. The development of those two major highways by the early 60’s, and the greater availability of personal cars, doomed the train service to the shore. This was the reason Wildwood began building all those classic Doo Wop Motels of the late 50’s and early 60’s; because more people had cars by then.
Hope this helps – Thom
P.S. The origin of the word “Shoobie” comes from those old trains. “Shoobies” were day trippers who would ride the trains down from the big city for the day with their lunches in shoe boxes.
Comment by thewildwoodsreporter — September 12, 2007 @ 6:50 am
Thanks for the update – I totally forgot that the “gated” community on Park and Oak was built at the old train station location. Oh well, I don’t have that commute any longer, but when I did (a few years ago – every day back and forth to Philly) – I would have welcomed the chance to sit on the train and read. I guess when you are a kid you don’t think of something being smelly and uncomfortable – it was just a great ride bringing me to an even greater place! BTW, thanks for the Shoobie history lesson too. You are always a wealth of info.
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — September 15, 2007 @ 2:33 am
Carol – Yeah, a lot of the great things of the past are probably lost forever. Your little playground, however, is still there. It sits in the middle of the block between Oak and Wildwood Avenues. You have to look hard to see it. If you’re driving down oak avenue – where the train station used to be – the playground is located directly behind that old log cabin-looking building. A lot of the playground rides are gone, but the playground itself is still there.
Also, the former “Terminal Bar” (or is it cafe?)is still there right next to the playground. This place was a small, dingy, dive located directly across the street from the train station. People would get off the trains and walk across the street for a quick cold one before heading into town for the day.
The place has been closed up and unoccupied for at least 40 years or more, but it’s still there. (Never could figure out how property owners can continue to pay taxes on properties like that for generations without actually opening them for business. If not for it’s historical interest, the Terminal Bar should have been demoed long time ago.
I think I remember seeing ads in the museum for the Terminal Bar in its golden days. They had a juke box and sometimes even had some live entertainment there. Of course, I was too young to ever go inside. Can you imagine all the fights they must have had in there from the train riff-raff coming and going?
Thom
Comment by thewildwoodsreporter — September 15, 2007 @ 9:57 am
Well, now I have to go down and look for my old playground and the Terminal Bar – I’ll bring my camera and take a photo or two – then I can compare the photo that I have of the playground from way back in the early 60’s to now! I only wish I had been a shutterbug long ago so that I could pull out all those memories since lots of them are now gone! I do, however, have multiple photos of Moore’s Inlet (my old favorite watering hole) during the demolition (my heart was broken). My husband stood outside of Moore’s when it was being demolished and gave the “thumbs down” sign and I took his picture. It made it all the way over to the Iraq, London and across the USA! Lot’s of Moore’s lovers all over. BTW, I do go to the Wildwood Museum, which I highly recommend to everyone, on rainy days and it’s a great way to get nostalgic – they have so much stuff and the hours fly by. It’s definitely worth the time of anyone who came to the Wildwood’s as a kid.
Carol
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — September 18, 2007 @ 2:58 am
Hi Thom,
Ahhhhhhhhhh, October in the Wildwoods – my favorite time of the year. We live in such a beautiful place but I don’t fully appreciate it until October. Life is good!
Jerseyshorecarol
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — October 2, 2007 @ 2:04 am
Hi Thom,
I think that having Bobby Rydell as the headliner for the 50’s show was an excellent choice. He is loved by so many people from our area and he is a terrific entertainer. It just goes to show you that if you have the right entertainment people will come – the hotels were booked, the restaurants and bars were full and there were tons of people milling around – and Mother Nature actually cooperated as well. I agree that having the right venue is most important but running the event the right way also means a lot – the only complaint I heard was that it took way too long to get into the concert, which, then postponed the start and extended the finish. Some tightening up there is probably needed.
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — October 24, 2007 @ 3:52 am
Just wanted to say HAPPY NEW YEAR to you Thom – keep up the good work – I so look forward to looking on the website every Monday (when I don’t forget LOL) — and a Happy New Year to all who visit this site either regularly or irregularly!!!
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — January 1, 2008 @ 3:22 am
Thom, just have to say I love the new ‘Then and Now’ feature. It’s a great idea, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
Comment by beachrat — January 1, 2008 @ 11:16 am
Thom, I just read, with much enthusiasim, the info you published regarding the new restaurants coming to Pacific Avenue and the Stewart’s Root Beer Stand on Magnolia and the Boards. I am a year-round resident and any time someone is bringing more places to dine year-round to our island, it makes me extremely happy, not to mention the fact that Club Shakers is an eyesore and fixing that up will be a wonderful thing, if it turns out like the rendering. The naysayers can put Wildwood down as much as they want, but our town is certainly trying its best to become a year-round destination for everyone. Just check out the new Restaurant/Bar in the Anglesea section – Flip Flopz on a Saturday night in January – it’s packed with people eating, drinking and just enjoying a nice, well run establishment. They even offer a DJ on the weekends. If you build it, they will come!!! I am very excited about the new things coming to the island.
Comment by Jerseyshorecarol — January 30, 2008 @ 2:38 am
I see they sold a parcel of land and it will knock the tax rate down appreciably for the residents. However, is this just a band-aid fix? What about the ensuing years? How will this affect future rates?
Comment by Mike Smalley — September 25, 2008 @ 7:19 pm