Monday, October 23, 2017

Keansburg to Benefit from Blue Acres Program

KEANSBURG — Every day that Alisen Hughes and her mother leave their Creek Road home in Keansburg, their view of quiet marshland and a sun-dappled stream is marred by a derelict, rotting house across the street.
That house, precariously balanced on a narrow slip of land between Creek Road and Waackaack Creek, is on a list of neighboring houses slated to be torn down due to the expansion of a state program that purchases and demolishes flood-prone property. 
Hughes and her mother, Virginia, listened from their porch Monday as Gov. Chris Christie, standing between their home and the abandoned house, announced an additional $75 million would go to New Jersey's Blue Acres program, a $300 million pool of federal disaster recovery money used to purchase such oft-flooded properties and convert the parcels to open space, parks and buffers against future storm surges.



"Having met with so many homeowners who saw their homes flooded and their lives upended, not just during (superstorm) Sandy but repeatedly before that, I fully comprehend that these families lived with worry every time it rained," Christie said from a podium flanked on either side by abandoned homes.
"It's the Blue Acres program that continues to help people like these, not just in Sandy-hit areas but across our state in 14 different municipalities," he said.
The Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the program, offers homeowners prices for their houses at pre-Sandy values. The point is to encourage residents to move to safer, less flood-prone areas. Those properties, in turn, become parkland and open space, said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin."As the storm surges come in, it's a place for the water to seep into, and so it provides both that barrier (and) open space, and a place for the water to go," he said.

The Hughes women welcome Blue Acres into their neighborhood and hope to see the state demolish two abandoned homes across Creek Road from their home.They said the collapsing structures lower the value of their neighborhood. 

Virginia Hughes said one of the empty homes, which has gaping holes in the roof and a glassless bay window, have become a haven for raccoons and vandals.

 "It's beautiful beyond all the trash," Alisen Hughes said, pointing to the marsh and creek beyond.Keansburg Mayor George Hoff said Blue Acres will be important to the future of this neighborhood, where the Waackaack Creek has eroded property lines and damaged the foundations of homes built between the road and the water's edge.

More than 1,800 Keansburg homes were damaged during Sandy, and more than 300 are still unoccupied five years after the storm, Hoff said. Inland homeowners can rebuild higher on pilings, but these Creek Road homes along the Waackaack have little land left on which to build. Being a low-lying spot in the borough also makes them vulnerable to any flooding, he said.

Once the homes are removed, "we're hoping to expand upon our bulkhead that we just built two years ago, and expand it down here for the neighbors, (add) a walkway, and hopefully a launch ramp for either canoes or kayaks," he said.

Keansburg is not the only municipality in Ocean and Monmouth counties ready to benefit from the additional Blue Acres money. Department of Environmental Protection staff are also working with homeowners in flood-prone neighborhoods in Brick, Stafford, Neptune and other towns throughout New Jersey, said Martin, the environmental commissioner.

Facades, Awnings & Murals, Oh my!

Over the past 6 months there has been many visual improvements made throughout Keansburg.  There is still a long way to go but the commitment and efforts of the Governing Body and Business Community are showing results.  Keansburg is on the Rise!

The Commercial Facade Program from Sandy Grants is almost complete! Several businesses on Main Street, Church Street and Carr Avenue have been repaired, painted and received new awnings. Below is a sample of some of the new look.



"The Keansburg Mural Project" has made an visual impact on some of the empty and Sandy battered commercial buildings.  Many murals are still a work in progress and Phase 2 has just begun.  The Murals are being coordinated by Dr. Sketchy Asbury Park. The volunteer artists are all local and the funding of the project was done with a Kickstarter Donation Campaign for Phase 1 and Phase 2 is being funded by a grant from the Monmouth Arts Council.  Thank you to Tim Lucas for coordinating and supervising the Project and all the local artists that are participating.

The old vs. The New


The Adopt-A-Planter Program has also made a difference.  The Planters throughout the Borough were painted and maintained by Businesses, Organizations, and families at their expense.  Thank you to everyone who participated in making a difference.





Tuesday, October 17, 2017

FREE Community Shredding

OCT29

Free Community Shredding Event

Public
 · Hosted by Keansburg Borough

                                                                   55 Shore Blvd, Keansburg, New Jersey 07734



Annual FREE Community Shredding Event. Open to all Monmouth County residents. Protect yourself from identity theft, shred your old papers and documents rather than tossing them into the trash. It’s a great way to recycle as well!!

Support the Centennial Sponsors

Thank you to the 1,000's of people who attended the events of the Keansburg Centennial Celebration. Join us in thanking the Sponsors of  by supporting their businesses.

Fireworks Sponsor 
 BCB Bank

Weekend Event Sponsors
DrugSmart, Nappy's Bar & Liquor, Nappy's Deli, Pier 260 Restaurant

Individual Activity Sponsors
KEA (Keansburg Education Association)
Keansburg Pharmacy
Bayside Manor Assisted Living



Wednesday, October 11, 2017

TRUCK-TOBER FEST - Saturday 11am-2pm




Join us on October 14, 2017 for our second annual Truck-Tober Fest. 

Admission is free to get up close and inside construction, agricultural & emergency vehicles. Jump in the bounce house and hang with local businesses, Organizations, food trucks, a magician & a balloon artist. 

This will be held at the Bolger Middle School Overflow Parking Lot, between RT. 36 and Lorraine Place. 

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Keansburg's Centennial Open House Weekend!

Keansburg Centennial Open House Weekend. 

Join us at any of our FREE Centennial Activities throughout the weekend and Join us for a Fireworks Show on the Beach on Sunday Evening.

Days and times of House Tours are subject to change or not listed. Contact agent before to confirm. Some properties will be serving refreshments.

Louise Cosentino - 169 Center Avenue  (Sun Noon-2PM)

Carol Kubis - 80 Willis Avenue  (Sun Noon-2pm) 
cskubis@aol.com (732) 439 0016

Jeanne Rich - 480 Beachway (Sun Noon-3PM – Food & Refrehments)
jeanne.rich@cbmoves.com (732) 439 0016

Maryanne Paragallo - 50 Birchwood Avenue (Sat 1-4PM / Sun 1-4PM)
paragallo113@gmail.com - (732) 904 3587

Catherine Barranca - 17 Bayview Avenue (Sat 12-4PM / Sun 12-4PM)

Melissa Klarich - 216 Twilight Avenue (Sun 1-3PM)  
melissa.klarich@cbmoves.com (732) 735-1375

Laura Castella - 34 Seaside Place (Sun 1-3PM)
      17 Oak Street (Sat Noon-2PM / Sun 1-3PM)

Sal Bua - 212 ParkAvenue (Sat 1-3PM)
salbua90@gmail.com (609) 259 1414

Sue Johnson - 7 Lincoln Ave (Sun Noon-2PM)
sjohnson@glorianilson.com (732) 492 0735


Why Purchase in Keansburg?



Centennial Activities


Monday, October 2, 2017

Keansburg's Centennial Festivities


Checkout all of these great events!
Events, Activities & Rides are FREE! Parking is FREE!

Friday - October 6th

 Keansburg's Food Truck Centennial Kick-Off (5-9PM)


Saturday - October 7th

Forest Park Mini Carnival (11AM-3PM)


Sunday - October 8th

Old Timers Baseball Game (11:30AM-2:00PM)

Thank you to our Sponsors:
Drug Smart, Nappy's, Pier 260 & Keansburg Historical Society

The Fireworks Show is Sponsored by:


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