Community Corner

Will Seaside Roller Coaster Stay In The Atlantic Ocean?

Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers said the site could become a "tourist attraction" as the boardwalk is rebuilt

Could the roller coaster that was swept into the Atlantic Ocean as Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey Shore remain where it is, standing straight up?

So says Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers, who told WNBC-TV in New York that the ride could become "a great tourist attraction" if it stays where it is.   

From WNBC's report:

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The picture of the ride, which looks more like a water slide these days, has become an iconic image of the damage Sandy wreaked up and down the coast just over three weeks ago.

But Akers, in an interview with NBC 4 New York, said he is working with the Coast Guard to see if it is stable enough to leave it alone.

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If it is, Akers said it would make "a great tourist attraction."

Meanwhile, demolition crews have already finished removing all of the damaged boardwalk. Businessmen like Mike Mergott of Mad Mike's Amusements said he is rebuilding because he is "100 percent sure" families want to come back.

Jim Loundy, who owned several buildings wiped away by the surge is confident he won't see another storm like this for "another 50 or 60 years."

Akers said construction on a new boardwalk should begin in January, and be ready by Memorial Day.


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