I hope you were able to join us during our Community Center’s Grand Opening Ceremony on Saturday, because it truly was a memorable and historic day for Sea Isle City!  Before everyone entered the building, approximately 1000 people gathered with us near the front steps during the ceremony – and then, as the day progressed, many other folks arrived to see the reasons why our new Community Center will be a hub of activity for generations to come. 

It was such a thrill to hear so much positive feedback from people as they toured the Community Center – and I am very grateful for the kind words we received from everyone who was there. 

As an additional indication of precisely how excited everyone is about the new Community Center, as of 3:00 PM yesterday over 3700 property owners have registered for membership in our new facility – and that number keeps rising. 

Ten years ago, when we began this important journey together, we all wanted what was best for Sea Isle City – and I think we achieved that goal (and then some).  I would be hard-pressed to say exactly what part of the Community Center is my favorite (simply because the building has so many outstanding features), but one thing I know for sure is that we have many reasons to be thankful overall, and I am extremely happy that we were able to construct such an important building. 

I want to once again express my thanks to everyone who helped us plan and construct our new Community Center, including Henry Hengchua, our architect; Roger Rinck, our Project Manager; Ernest Bock & Sons General Contractors; and all of our municipal employees, who worked very hard to bring this project to fruition. I also want to thank the neighbors living in the properties surrounding the Community Center, who had to endure a variety of annoyances during the construction process; and my thanks also go to the people of Sea Isle City who attended town hall meetings, completed surveys, shared their opinions, and helped us design and execute the plans that led us here today. 

Additionally, I want to thank the six young individuals who helped us officially open our new gymnasium on Saturday by performing “ceremonial first layups” into the gym’s six basketball nets: Connor Capone, Vincent Farina, Rachel Grace, Gavin Oliver, Landon Oliver and Liza Pellini.

To learn more about our new Community Center (including how to obtain membership), please go to https://visitsicnj.com/community-center or phone the Recreation Office at 609-263-0050.

Because we don’t like to waste time, the Community Center’s first special event took place on Sunday (one day after our grand opening), when members of our local business community hosted a “Bargains by the Bay” blow-out sale featuring deeply discounted merchandise.  I had the pleasure of being in the Community Center during this event, and it was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves at the vendors booth – and all around the building in general. My congratulations go to the business owners who hosted that successful event, and I hope everyone looks forward to many more special gatherings taking place in the Community Center in the months and years ahead!

And speaking of special gatherings, I will be hosting the first in a series of meet-and-greet sessions called “Chat with Mayor Desiderio” on Saturday, April 4, from 10:00 AM to 12 noon in the Community Center’s lobby, where property owners can ask me questions about any topic. I plan to host these “chats” periodically through the coming year, and I hope you will stop-by on Saturday morning if there are any concerns or suggestions you would like to discuss with me one-on-one.

Also on Saturday, the city’s Tourism Office will host their annual Spring Fling Family Fun Day from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Excursion Park, where families can pose for photos with the Easter Bunny, and kids can enjoy a variety of seasonal games and activities. This free event is a great way to celebrate springtime’s arrival, so why not “Bunny Hop” your way to Excursion Park with your family on Saturday afternoon – and tell the Easter Bunny Mayor Len says hello!

Looking further ahead, the Sea Isle City Environmental Commission will host their 2026 Spring Beach Clean-up on Saturday, April 11, at 10:00 AM.  I hope everyone will consider donating an hour or two to show Mother Nature that you care. Cleaning our beaches and dunes is easy to do, and our friends at the Environmental Commission will give you trash bags, gloves and other supplies to make it a care-free and enjoyable process. For more information about the Beach Clean-up, please see the special section in this week’s E-Newsletter or go to the “calendar” page at  www.VisitSICNJ.com. 

This week’s “Shout Out” goes to all the people who braved the chilly winds and attended our Vietnam War Veterans Day Ceremony at Veterans Park on Saturday morning. Even though the weather was a bit of a challenge, I was very happy to see so many enthusiastic patriots in attendance as we thanked and honored the men and women who served our nation honorably during the Vietnam War.  Our veterans greatly deserve our respect and gratitude, and I appreciate everyone who was there!

Have a Happy Passover and Easter!

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio

“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. --Abraham Lincoln