After a year of extreme weather, Strathmere’s lifeguard headquarters house meets its end
The structure had stood for more than two decades before its demolition Sunday
The lifeguard headquarters house in Strathmere was demolished over the weekend when local officials deemed it too dangerous after a year of extreme weather left the beach surrounding it severely eroded.
A video posted to Instagram by the Upper Township Beach Patrol on Sunday showed construction equipment demolishing the small shack, which had been stationed on the beach for more than two decades.
“It was just a brutal winter, weather-wise, which just accentuated beach erosion issues we already had,” said Sam Palombo, an Upper Township committeeman.
Officials considered the possibility of trying to reinforce the structure, which measured around 500 square feet, to make it serviceable. But the cost of doing so would’ve been $125,000, officials said, and even then, it was unclear how long the reinforcement would last.
“It was a lot of money to throw at something that there was no guarantee that it was even going to work,” said Mike Jones, superintendent of public works for Upper Township.
The demolition process began at around 8 a.m. on Sunday and was completed by around 12:30, Jones said.
For now, the Beach Patrol will be temporarily housed in a mobile trailer at 1400 Commonwealth Ave., with plans to construct a new permanent headquarters at a yet-to-be-determined location.
“We haven’t really gotten there yet,” said Palombo when asked about where the replacement facility might be stationed. “We’re honestly just thinking about this summer immediately, and then we’ll move on to long-term planning.”
Palombo — who previously worked for the Beach Patrol — called it “frustrating” that things got to this point after town officials have been sounding the alarm on beach conditions.
Federal funding to restore and replenish beaches has faced delays over the past year, WHYY reported earlier this month, leaving several beach communities entering peak tourism season amid uncertainty.
“We’ve just been saying to everyone, ‘We need help,’” said Palombo. “It’s so obvious that we either need help from the state or the federal government. ... Memorial Day is right around the corner, and when people come down, they’re going to be shocked with the condition the beach is in.
“We’re not trying to cry, we just want a solution — and we just need help.”