Yellow Door

This small yellow-door kiosk is one of many badge purchase kiosks one sees along the boardwalks in New Jersey.

In New Jersey, you pay to access the beach. I was told that the money is used for beach cleanup. Beach passes can be expensive and have made some beaches in New Jersey inaccessible to some year-round residents and low-income families looking for an inexpensive beach experience.

I want everyone to enjoy the beach ~ Lisa Cramp, Asbury Park resident and Founder of the Asbury Park Community Beach Badge Fund

The Asbury Park Community Beach Badge Fund was established by Lisa Cramp when she noticed a trend in the beach area. While working at a bar on the boardwalk, Lisa noticed that many families would wait until after the beach staff and lifeguards went home for the day. Underprivileged families and teens could enjoy the beach for free but ran the risk of swimming in the ocean without professional supervision. Since 2018, the Asbury Park Community Beach Badge Fund has raised over $36,000 towards badges for Asbury Park residents in need.

I remember the first time I was asked to pay a fee to access the beach in New Jersey. I was appalled. In the West Indies, beaches are public property. You can put up a multi-million dollar house on the beach, but if you fence off the beach, you will be fined, but the citizens have the right to destroy the fence to ensure their right of way.

I can’t even imagine how that would work. Imagine a scenario where you are born on the island. Wealthy westerners buy up all the beaches and fence them off. The only way you, the island-born person, can see the beach is via the tourist brochure. I imagine there would be a revolt.

This small yellow-door kiosk is one of many badge purchase kiosks one sees along the boardwalks in New Jersey.

Author: Khürt Williams

A human who works in information security and enjoys photography, Formula 1 and craft ale. #nobridge

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