Events Need Consideration
Editor:
We all understand the importance of events for the shoulder seasons in Ocean City. But is anyone coordinating those events? Are they just booking them without considering what else is going on?
My husband and I missed the Boardwalkin’ for Pets event for the first time in 15 years because we couldn’t get into town. We will mail our donation, but we are missing the pleasure of watching all the other dogs and enjoying a stroll with our dog on a pleasant day on the boardwalk. We spent almost an hour trying to get into town from Berlin before giving up.
We made the mistake of driving Assateague Road to Route 611 where we came to a 20 mph crawl because of the Island-to-Island run event that occurred Saturday. But how do folks get to the Humane Society event or the Kite Festival or anything else? And how does that volume of runners and the dog walkers reasonably share the Boardwalk? I can tell you that they did not always fit in the designated lane on Route 611. They had awesome turnout, but I’m pretty sure that the dog walk and Kite Festival aren’t faring as well.
All of these events are important. But someone needs to pay attention when the requests for dates are made to make sure that the events can work together so the town can prosper from them and the participants in all of the events can enjoy them equally.
Teresa and Jay Masino
Berlin
Seize Moment On Park
Editor:
I am writing to urge the Town of Berlin to move with all deliberate speed to ensure that the former Tyson plant property on Old Ocean City Boulevard be acquired for the purpose of developing it into what could be an incredible community resource. The economic, recreational and environmental opportunities for our community associated with this site are tremendous, and the alternative industrial development scenarios are troubling.
I understand there is a need to resolve potential conflict of interest issues with respect to the current property owners’ position on the Town Council, but surely these can be resolved. I also understand and fully support the need to undertake thoughtful and thorough feasibility, economic impact and facility/land planning studies. Equally important will be a robust community outreach effort to ensure the property is developed in a manner that reflects what all sectors of the Town want and need.
We can’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers. This is the time for America’s coolest small town of 2014 to seize the moment to become Berliners’ coolest small town for generations to come.
Steve Farr
Berlin