Atlantic City has received $1 million for total renovation of Gardner’s Basin.
“Gardner’s Basin is the best kept secret in Atlantic City,” Mayor Marty Small said. “Our goal is to improve the park so that it can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.”
The grant from the NJ Green Acres Program will help pay for restroom renovations, new LED lighting, maintenance building renovations, parking improvement, a public address system and other upgrades.
Small noted that more than $50 million has been invested in rebuilding the Atlantic City Boardwalk in the Inlet and it will be connected to Gardner’s Basin for the first time.
“The last phase of this project is to make the Basin a wonderful destination,” he said.
The City of Atlantic City attracted grant funds from FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, NJEDA, NJDEP, NJDOT and NJDCA to rebuild the famed Boardwalk. Rutala Associates, a local planning firm, helped secure these grants and the NJ Green Acres Grant on behalf of the city.
Gardner’s Basin was established 1976 to provide waterfront recreational access to the public, conduct marine education programs for schools, youth groups and adult eco-tour groups, and Maritime Historical preservation. The Atlantic City Aquarium opened at the Basin in 1999.
Mayor Small is working with Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver to secure additional funds to repair the bulkheads and dredge the Basin’s marina.
Oliver announced last week that NJDCA would provide an additional $1 million to address the bulkhead and dredging needs of the marina.
“We are working to revitalize Atlantic City one block at a time,” Oliver said. “Gardner’s Basin is a key recreational destination and it is important that we invest to make this park more resilient and a first-class facility.”
Gardner’s Basin is still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, when the Flying Cloud Restaurant was destroyed, the bulkheads were damaged and the marina was clogged by silt.
Last month, City Council authorized the submission of a grant application to the CRDA to leverage funds already received and to renovate the Atlantic City Aquarium, which has gone without major repairs for 20 years.
The city will request funding for mechanical systems, a new roof, electrical repairs, window replacement and other improvements.
“The NJDEP and NJDCA are permitted to fund park and coastal protection improvements like bulkheads, but the funds cannot be used for renovations to the aquarium,” Small said. “This is a perfect project for the CRDA, since it enhances a city park and a key destination for both residents and visitors.”
