In July 2023, a Longport resident asked the Board of Commissioners to deal with the spot where Atlantic Avenue dead-ends at the bay. Walkers and bikers already stopped there for a look at the Great Egg Harbor Inlet. His worry was the people who climbed a barrier to stand on broken concrete and rebar. Improving the area had been discussed for years, and the state had designated the sand beneath the concrete as a dune that could not be touched.
Three years later, that corner is Point Park, and it is one of three new parks the borough has opened or dedicated since 2025. Each began as ground Longport had lost, been handed, or left empty for decades. That history explains why the parks sit where they do, and why each has a different answer to who keeps it up.
The three parks, side by side
| Park | Where | Opened | Where the land came from | Who builds and keeps it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point Park | 11th and Atlantic | Ribbon-cutting June 13, 2026 | The borough's own street end at the bay | Borough, with private donations, a state grant and a recreation bond |
| Beach Terrace Park | Beach Terrace, 15th to 16th | Dedication was scheduled for July 4, 2026 | A long-vacant borough strip beside the bulkhead | Nonprofit Beach Terrace Park, Inc. |
| Dorothy McGee Park | 22nd Avenue | July 3, 2025 | Two beach-block lots left to the borough in a will | Borough |
The Point: shoreline the town was trying to keep
The rebuilt Point is organized around a new concrete retaining wall and curb, which replaced the loose concrete piled at the bay's edge. The Board of Commissioners awarded the wall contract, $505,800, to L. Feriozzi Concrete Co. Paying for it took a mix of private donations, a $71,000 New Jersey Local Recreation Grant and a recreation bond the borough had already approved.
On top of the wall, the park has:
- a widened and repaved turnaround
- a protective sand dune
- a red brick walkway to the jetty
- paths to the fishing area
- bike racks
- vintage-style lighting
- a water fountain for people and pets
- a Van Duyne surf boat planted with flowers
A concrete bike lane along the Atlantic Avenue seawall in the Point section was scheduled to go in the week after Easter, a job of about two weeks. The park is open dawn to dusk, with nine parking spaces on site and more along Atlantic Avenue.
The best feature is the newest sign. It explains how shifting land and powerful storms shaped Longport's shoreline, and why the borough's boundaries begin at 11th Avenue. The Longport Historical Society Museum tells the same story from another angle, with an exhibit on the disappearance of the first ten streets of Longport. Mayor Patrick Armstrong made the Point a priority when he took office in January 2025. He told Shore Local that Longport could not afford to keep losing shoreline.
The Point is also the park most exposed to weather. The nor'easter that hit the Shore this past weekend took sand from Longport's dunes, and damage assessments are underway. Armstrong told Downbeach BUZZ that Point Park had no interior damage behind the new wall. Check longportnj.gov for beach-access notices before you head down.
Beach Terrace: a strip with a boardwalk in its past
The parcel between 15th and 16th avenues on Beach Terrace sat vacant for years, a narrow strip of borough land on the landward side of the bulkhead. According to the park's own history, it was once the site of a boardwalk built in 1919, and the site was destroyed in 1944.
The idea for a park came nearly ten years ago from the property managers of the Longport Seaview and Costa Vederi condominium associations. Each association gave the first $5,000. The borough approved a license agreement in June 2025, and the trustees of Beach Terrace Park, Inc. broke ground on September 26, 2025. The borough still owns the land, while the nonprofit builds the park and maintains it.
Landscaper Jamie Lloyd of J.W. Lloyd Lawncare and Landscaping in Woodbine designed a park with a meandering path, four benches, low accent lighting and a small Zen garden. The plantings are native species, drought-tolerant perennials and low-growing evergreens chosen so they will not block views. A 4-foot slatted vinyl fence sits back from the sidewalk. Downbeach.com reported in early 2025 that Lloyd said "Fall is normally a great time to plant, but not on the beach block," which is why the plantings waited until spring 2026.
The budget explains the nonprofit's role. Estimates in June 2025 put construction at about $170,000, with another $25,000 raised for first-year maintenance and $20,000 for contingencies. By March 2026, secretary Phil Neri said the group had raised $140,000 of a $200,000 goal. In a late-August thank-you note, president Tony Ziccardi wrote that the park has become a beloved spot and welcomed donations to keep it thriving. Of the three parks, this is the one whose upkeep rests with a nonprofit rather than the borough.
Dorothy McGee Park: a bequest with a condition
The first of the three parks to open was Dorothy McGee Park on 22nd Avenue. It exists because of a will. McGee served as secretary of the borough's Board of Education for more than 20 years. She left two beach-block lots next to her home to Longport, with the stipulation that they stay open space in perpetuity.
The borough broke ground on April 10, 2025, and dedicated the park on July 3, 2025, in time for that summer. It has a gazebo and is meant for passive recreation. At the groundbreaking, Armstrong said "Dottie's generosity is now in perpetuity to all of us," and the park's design fits the gift. The gazebo anchors a park built for passive recreation on ground that must stay open.
Walking them in order
The three parks sit in sequence along the island, from the bay end at 11th Avenue to 22nd Avenue, so a walk can take them in order. Start at the Point, where the fishing jetty and the bay view are. Move up to Beach Terrace, where the benches face the shore. Finish at McGee Park under the gazebo.
A few named stops sit nearby.
- Seaview Cafe at 111 S. 16th Ave. was listed with 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. hours as of May 2026, at the Beach Terrace end.
- The Longport Historical Society Museum is at 2305 Atlantic Ave. Published hours conflict, with Saturday morning and by appointment both listed, so call 609-823-1115 before you go.
- Ozzie's Luncheonette opened in 1948 at 24th and Atlantic, first as a food market. The luncheonette followed in 1952, and it now serves breakfast and lunch from a retro soda-fountain space. Catch Restaurant & Bar shares the block at 2401 Atlantic Ave.
Fall dates on the borough calendar
The borough's 2026 Save the Dates list gives the rest of the season:
- October 24: Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweep, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- November 11: Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. at Krechmer Pavilion, 28th and Ventnor
- December 11: Tree and menorah lighting. Call the library at 609-487-7403 for details.
- December 14: Santa arrives in Longport at 6:30 p.m., escorted by the Longport Volunteer Fire Department
If you own near the Point or Beach Terrace and want a plain read on what your Longport home would sell for today, Dorothy Phillips offers a free home valuation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
