OCEAN CITY – A portion of Chicago Avenue will officially close following a second reading this week.
On Monday, the Mayor and Council had before them the second reading of Ordinance 2023-17, authorizing the closure of Chicago Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets. As redevelopment of the Downtown Recreation Project advances, officials came before the Mayor and Council seeking the closure of the neighboring roadway.
“This is to authorize the closure of Chicago Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets,” City Solicitor Heather Stansbury told the council this week. “This was necessary for the Downtown Recreation Complex.”
In September, City Engineer Paul Mauser came before the Mayor and Council with a request to close a portion of the Chicago Avenue corridor for the redevelopment of the Downtown Recreation Complex. As the portion of roadway had already been converted to a walkway, he said he was seeking formal approval to close the roadway.
“As everyone has seen, as part of the construction of the Downtown Recreation Complex, the corridor known as Chicago Avenue between 3rd and 4th street, where we used to have a road, is now a pervious concrete walkway that is not open to vehicular traffic. That was all part of the plan for the park,” he said at the time. “Essentially, I want to recommend to the council that we officially close this portion of the corridor.”
Located between 3rd and 4th streets bayside and bounded by Philadelphia and Chicago avenues, the Downtown Recreation Complex is being redeveloped in phases to include various recreation opportunities.
For the east section of the complex, the plan includes an expanded skate park, relocating the existing basketball courts and an improved inclusive playground area. The section to the west would be less developed and more passive. It includes a vast flexible lawn in the center surrounded by trees for pickup sports and other events, a playground area, new restrooms and more.
However, plans call for the Chicago Avenue corridor between 3rd and 4th streets to become existing right-of-way. To that end, the roadway should be officially closed.
On Monday, Mayor Rick Meehan questioned if the ordinance reading had been pulled from a prior meeting. City Manager Terry McGean noted there was some discussion of converting the portion of Chicago Avenue between 2nd and 3rd streets to a two-lane road.
“It was pulled awhile ago, and that’s because there was actually a second piece to this,” he replied. “That was to make the piece of Chicago Avenue from 2nd to 3rd two-way. That had not really been discussed with the property owners. That was brought to the property owners, and they are opposed to that. So we removed that piece … That was brought back to you, and that’s why this was passed on first reading.”
With no further discussion, the council voted 6-0, with Councilwoman Carol Proctor absent, to approve the second reading.
