By Lauren Wanko
NJ Today
The roller coaster in Seaside Heights has become a symbol of Sandy’s wrath and six months since the superstorm, it’s still in the Atlantic Ocean. But a plan is finally in place to remove it and local business owners I spoke with today said they’re grateful. They’re tired of looking at what they call bad memories.
Marathon Steakhouse owner William Wutzer looks at the now famous roller coaster every day from the balcony of his boardwalk shop.
“I was here during the storm,” he said. “When I came in here the following day, it was just an unbelievable sight.”
Wutzer is ready to move on. He owns three other businesses in town. They’re all open again. Except for Midway Steakhouse, which is set to open in another week.
“Now I look six months down the road and it blows my mind how much has been accomplished,” Wutzer said.
The roller coaster will most likely be removed over the next two weeks.
“We signed a contract with Weeks Marine. It should be a 24/7 project hopefully a four- to seven-day span,” said Casino Pier Marketing Manager Maria Mastoris.
Sandy plunged three other rides from Casino Pier into the Atlantic Ocean. They’ll be pulled out along with the coaster. In the meantime, half of the pier will be open by Memorial Day, along with some other rides, the arcade and the water park. Still, Sandy hammered this Ocean County community. Not everything will up and running this summer.
“The Funtown Pier will not be there at all,” said Mayor Bill Akers. “I would hope for 2014 that do come back.”
Rebuilding the three-quarter mile stretch of boardwalk was the borough’s top priority. Half of the project is completed, and this Wednesday, the borough will open eight blocks to the public. But Sandy’s left Seaside Heights with other problems local officials still don’t have solutions for.
“I realize tourism is what drives Seaside Heights just like it does the state of New Jersey. So while we’re focusing on the boardwalk and needing to get that done because that what’s gonna bring the people here, you realize a lot of people that aren’t coming back as fast as the municipality is coming back,” Akers said.
He estimates Seaside Height’s rental market is down 30 percent this season. Surfside Motel owner Mark Larsen is feeling the effects of the superstorm.
“Reservations are coming along, not quite as brisk as past years, but we do have them,” Larsen said.
Local business owners are grateful for the curious tourists, eager to check out the progress.
“I’m enjoying it as far as what’s going on here. They’re doing a phenomenal job,” said Frank Del Monte of Colonia.
“We mainly wanted to see the roller coaster,” said Wayne Jasnowski of Colonia. “We wanted to see what’s going on with the boardwalk.”
Construction — that’s what’s happening on the boardwalk. Most of John Sundermann’s business was destroyed.
“I don’t think anyone ever had to deal with something like this before. It’s all uncharted waters and they’re making a great job of it,” Sundermann said.
Etan Malca typically opens his boardwalk shop in March.
“We took a hit really bad and hopefully we will have a short but good summer. We already lost two and a half months of business,” Malca said.