Council asked to comment on beachfront projects BY LIZ SHEEHAN Correspondent SEA BRIGHT — Borough Council members have been asked to review and make suggestions about a proposal for improving beachfront facilities and extending the existing boardwalk. At the council meeting Dec. 19, Councilman Thomas Scriven explained the three-phase plan, which he stressed was not “written in stone,” with other members of the council and asked them to give him their comments so they could be discussed at the next meeting. Scriven said that the first priority was replacing the existing beach office building. “This structure is beyond repair, and as it stands now, repairing the existing structure has no cost benefit,” the report Scriven presented to the council said. The report proposes building a two-story structure with the ground floor housing vehicle storage, rest rooms, changing rooms and a first aid facility. In addition, it suggests building a luncheonette that would provide “traditional” beach fare and have picnic tables in a small area. An outside stairway would provide access to a roof-top deck with tables that would give “a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean,” the report said. A commercial section in the building could be used as a “beach utility function” or be leased out by competitive bid, according to the report. “The entire function of the luncheonette,” the report said, would be to raise revenue “to help pay for the improvements.” Other improvements in phase one would include moving the playground from its present location at the front of the beach offices to a site on the north side of the lot. A basketball court is planned for the playground area. Adjacent to the playground area, the existing stairs and platform will be used to connect to a walk-over that will pass over the sand dune that now blocks access to the beach. To the north, a shell and picnic tables would be added under the plan. The second phase of the proposal calls for extending the existing boardwalk, starting at the northern end of Donavan’s Reef and going north to the southern boundary of the Chapel Beach Club. The proposal calls for a width of 40 feet for the boardwalk, which would have rest rooms and shower facilities and be accessible to the handicapped. The report said that consideration might be given to include “typical” boardwalk stands that might be leased to generate funds for the improvements. Phase three would be the construction of a year-round Olympic-size pool that could generate “significant revenue” by being leased to scholastic swimming teams and by year-round use. It is suggested in the report that the pool be leased to a competitive bidder rather than being operated by the town.