In Defense Of Seaside Heights

Having pretty much grown up in Seaside Heights I admit to always being a bit sensitive over the way the town is often portrayed although it is certainly very much different from the place I called home from the time I was in 6th grade until my mid 20’s. As is usually the case Seaside Heights only gets headlines when something bad or controversial takes place with the latest being the flurry of fights after the 4th of July fireworks that led to police chief Thomas Boyd shutting down the boardwalk. 62 people, including three juveniles were arrested in connection with those fights which brought in neighboring police departments to assist the borough’s force.

Seaside Heights is a place that certainly has had its share of problems when it comes to rowdy behavior and it’s resulted in a less than favorable perception of the resort town, especially among those of us who live in the area. While people in other parts of this state and others might tend to view it as a beach town with plenty of bars and good times, locals think of it more as a sleazy place that they avoid in the summer. In truth it’s probably a little of both. Having worked for my father on the boardwalk for many years when I was younger I certainly witnessed my share of incidents. Even then the spring and early part of summer was always a tough time with mostly teen-agers and young people filling the area. However once you got past the 4th of July the number of strollers would increase as families made their way down the boardwalk. I’m told that is still true today although clearly the makeup of visitors is not the same as it was in the 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s.

Some will want to blame all of the problems on borough officials but I’m not among them. Seaside Heights attempts to do all it can to draw families but frankly they are a victim of changing times and location. For many the one-mile long town is the closest one that offers the good times they are seeking. Unfortunately their definition of a good time often involves alcohol and when you are on a packed boardwalk that can be a bad combination. I do think the rolling out the red carpet for the TV show “Jersey Shore” has been short-sighted by some officials. It may have put a few extra bucks in some pockets but has done nothing for the town’s image although it certainly has made Seaside Heights better known around the country.

Seaside Heights still has a lot to offer with clean beaches, an entertaining boardwalk, amusement rides, a water park and an array of food that will challenge any diet. Those same features also draw those you wish would stay home.