Thursdays to be free days at Shore town
Monday, April 13th, 2009
By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org
South Jersey beach communities are trying out a few efforts to get crowds to come, and spend, despite the recession.
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Margate New Jersey has decided not to require beach tags on Thursdays this summer.
Ed Berger is Vice-President of the Business Association in the shore town. He says the goal is to give people an added incentive to come down to the shore community.
Berger: We'd like them to sample what Margate has to offer and since clearly the thing that is best about Margate is our beaches we'd like to lead with our best lead.
Berger says neighboring Ventor has contacted Margate officials about the program with a possibility of expanding the free beach day to its community.
Further down the beach is Ocean City. Spokesman Mark Soifer says it's not considering a free beach day.
Soifer: We've talked about it but we've never done it, our fees are among the lowest in the state.
Soifer says free entertainment is already attracting tourists to the beach town.