Click on photos to enlarge • 10/15/16

PERTH AMBOY – Good Morning and Welcome to our beautiful waterfront!!!

Thank you Adam!! Welcome Senator “Bob” Menendez and Congressman Frank Pallone!! Thank you so much for being here with us today!

Thank you ALL for joining us this morning to celebrate this long-awaited milestone.

It’s hard to believe that it is nearly four years since the devastation of Super Storm Sandy. Today, we are here for the re-grand opening of one of our most beautiful scenic parks in the City (and not to mention a hot spot pokey-mon for players)—BAYVIEW PARK!!

After reinvesting $17 million, we’re finally able to see the opening of the entire waterfront and all of our waterfront estate without fencing and construction materials since 2012.

With the expert recommendations from the members of the Waterfront Redevelopment and Recovery Advisory Committee and many business owners and members of our community, the design and construction you see today helps restore value to our residents’ homes and properties, but most importantly, the safety of the public.

Our waterfront is essentially a vital recreational, natural and economic asset that is taken advantage of in so many ways including dining, concert-going, walking, fishing and boating. Above all, it is a vital element of the city’s identity.

These recreational goals will meet the redevelopment initiatives in the master plan and will create greater access to the Arthur Kill and Raritan Bay. While working with the Department of Environmental Protection, the Public Access Plan being prepared will create new and better opportunities for waterway access and usage.

Two years ago, we opened the Perth Amboy Marina that included work on the pier and harbor walk, with a goal to improve and preserve the waterfront while providing easier access to the pier and harbor walk. Robert Mainberger, our project engineer was instrumental in ensuring quality work and an outcome that would not only beautify the waterfront, but secure it.

With $4.3 million in FEMA funds and $1.7 million in NJDEP Shore Protection funds we were able to target several structures in the municipal waterfront area with work done to our marina, bulkheads, fishing piers, floating docks, ramps, benches and light poles. We replenished a half-mile of beach sand along Sadowski Parkway, from High Street to Second Street.

Lastly, where we stand today is the final restoration project of our waterfront. Bayview Park has been reconstructed with $1.1 million in grant funding for a mid-level promenade with outdoor seating, amenities and storm mitigation.

The additional funds from this grant will be adding new amenities and additional upgrade towards recreational upgrades along the South end of the waterfront with tennis court upgrades and bathroom facilities.

I am extremely proud of where we are today and the recognition we have received for our collective work. Just a few months ago the Perth Amboy Waterfront Improvements project was awarded by the Alliance for Action’s “2016 Distinguished Engineering Award for the design and completion of the waterfront. I want to personally thank Bob Mainberger for his tremendous work.

We’ve come a long way, but the reality is that this would have not been possible without you. Today we hold this ceremony to celebrate the efforts of everyone who contributed their time, talent, materials, or supplies to reconstruct and redevelop the City’s most valuable resource.

And that is why we are so grateful to you!

Today, there are so many people to thank, who have helped the great City of Perth Amboy these past four years and I don’t want to leave anyone out, so I want to acknowledge a few groups and organizations:

• The Perth Amboy City Council

• Our local businesses, houses of worship, non-profits and volunteers,

• Perth Amboy Students

• My directors and supervisors

• Our Public Safety Units, including OEM

• Department of Public Works

• Office of Recreation and OECD,

• The Waterfront Recovery and Redevelopment Advisory Committee

• NJDEP

• NJEDA

• Federal, State and local officials, who helped make this happen

• The American Red Cross

• V&S Galvanizing

• Mott McDonald, Bird Construction and Helios Construction!!!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Your work, volunteerism and donations made our recovery that MUCH MORE POSSIBLE!! From those present on Volunteer Day in 2012 to those who rebuild this Park by hand– On behalf of the City of Perth Amboy and the City Council, again thank you.

It continues to reap a good harvest from recognizing our strength in unity to showing up to support charitable organizations through our efforts with the Pink Ribbon Walk—it always seems that we are resilient during trying times and that is what I truly love about this community!!

May God continue to bless you, your families and your homes.