Great Day Gazette

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

JULY 2024

FROM THE MAYOR

THE MAKEOVER

ATLANTIC CITY HAS

BEEN WAITING FOR

POP F LY

It’s a Great Day in the City of Atlantic City

The crown jewel of the Jersey Shore

ACNJ.GOV

weekend is here, which is always one of the busiest weekends of the year in Atlantic City. Whichever way you choose to spend it, I promise you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for right here in Atlantic City. Be safe and have fun this weekend, and Happy Birthday to the greatest country in the world!

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ADDRESSING ONE OF

THE CITY'S BIGGEST

CONCERNS

OUR ANTI-VIOLENCE

PROGRAM BECOMES

A BLUEPRINT FOR

OTHER CITIES

the process, that’s to be expected

nowadays, and during the June City

Council meeting, Council approved a

resolution awarding a contract for work

on the building’s exterior, plus a brand-

new mural outside. That work will take

several months to complete, and we’re

now looking at a September reopening. I

owe it to everyone to make sure the

Aquarium is in pristine condition both

inside and outside, and I PROMISE

when this final bit of work is finished,

you’ll see this was all worth the wait!

If you haven’t been over to O’Donnell

Park to see the new Bernie Friedenberg

World War II Memorial, I suggest you

do so, it’s been a welcome addition to

Atlantic City. We held a beautiful D-

Day ceremony to officially unveil the

statue that serves as a perfect tribute to

our veterans. As we celebrate the Fourth

of July, I want to once again thank all

those who have made America the land

of the free and home of the brave, and

want to wish a happy birthday to the

greatest country in the world!

Thanks for reading our newsletter,

enjoy your holiday weekend and rest

of Summer, and remember, It's a Great

Day Here in the City of Atlantic City!

Dear Atlantic City Residents and Guests,

When I have a vision, I do what I can to

have that vision come to light by any means

necessary. And when it comes to Atlantic

City’s historic Pop Lloyd Stadium, my vision

of turning it back into the treasure it once

was is happening as you read this. But it

won’t just be the classic baseball field you

remember. We are transforming it into a

multi-sport complex where our youth will

be able to enjoy a variety of sports for years

to come. It was a magical moment to be

joined by the individuals in my

administration who helped make my dream

become reality as we officially broke ground

on the renovation project!

It’s not just Pop Lloyd Stadium getting a

new look. During my State of the City

Address in February, I announced a July 1st

reopening date for the Atlantic City

Aquarium based on information I was given

at the time. There were some delays in

the process, that’s to be expected nowadays,

and during the June City Council

meeting, Council approved a resolution

awarding a contract for work on the

building’s exterior, plus a brand-new mural

outside.

during the June City Council meeting,

the

solution to this problem, I mean we’ve

explored EVERY option

because it’s important our residents stay

informed.

incidents and not the norm, and

Atlantic City from the inside out, and that

starts with City Hall.

AC YOUTH LOVING

LIFE THIS SUMMER

- Mayor Marty Small, Sr.

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Pop Lloyd Renovation

Atlantic City’s iconic Pop Lloyd Stadium is

undergoing a renovation that will see it transition

into a multipurpose sports hub for Atlantic City

youth and the entire community. Mayor Small

was joined by those involved in the $5.6-million

renovation project, along with some longtime

Atlantic City residents, to officially break ground

on construction.

Highlights of the new and improved stadium

include beautiful artificial blue turf and brand-

new dugouts, locker rooms, bleachers, restrooms,

lighting, fencing and a scoreboard. In addition to

baseball, softball and T-ball, the new Pop Lloyd

Stadium field will be utilized for football, soccer,

lacrosse, field hockey and other sports/activities.

Pergolas will be added for community use outside the recreation leagues. The contractor for the project is Atlantic

City-based Weatherby Construction Company, who have

already begun work by removing the old bleachers

(pictured to the right).

Construction on the renovation project is anticipated

to conclude this Fall. The City plans to begin fully

utilizing the new Pop Lloyd Stadium in time for the

start of the Spring 2025 sports season. Funding for the

project comes from the American Rescue Plan ($4-

million) and 2022 Supplemental Transitional Aid ($1-

million). The State of New Jersey also approved an

additional $601,450 of ARP funding.

Hundreds of attendees,

including several World War

II military veterans, convened

at Atlantic City’s O’Donnell

Memorial Park on D-Day for

the official unveiling and

dedication ceremony for the

Bernie Friedenberg War II

Memorial.

The statue honors the

distinguished service of

Atlantic City-native - U.S.

Army Staff Sergeant Bernard

(Bernie) I. Friedenberg and all

Americans who served their

country during World War II. The flags of the six branches of the U.S.

military encircle the rear of the statue, which depicts Friedenberg

carrying a dying solider in his arms on Omaha Beach. City of Atlantic

City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. was among the guest speakers during

the ceremony. Mayor Small contributed more than $430,000 of American

Rescue Plan funds to ensure this day would come.

On Flag Day, Atlantic City held a

U.S. Flag Retirement Ceremony

at Bader Field. Old American

Flags, which were collected by the

American Legion and at the

Public Safety Building, were

properly disposed. Officials from

the City of Atlantic City, Atlantic

City Police Department and

Atlantic City Fire Department

were on hand. There's a U.S. Flag

Drop Off box at the PSB (2715

Atlantic Ave) all year long.

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We'll have more from the students in our August edition.

CLEAN & SAFE

The Atlantic City Police Department is

strictly enforcing bicycle hours on the

Boardwalk this Summer. There will be

an increased presence of officers on

the Boardwalk addressing this, and

other Boardwalk rules, including no

dogs, no smoking of any kind, and no

outside alcoholic beverages in the

open container zone. The juvenile

curfew between 10:00 PM and 6:00

AM is also being strictly enforced.

More details on bike hours and the

rest of these regulations can be found

at www.acnj.gov.

Beach gatherings that involve

oversized equipment and tents,

generators and grills or open flames

MUST be approved first by the city's

Special Events Office (609-347-5823).

Following an announcement this past October that the City of Atlantic City formed the Boardwalk Improvement Group

(BIG) to address homelessness and other quality of life concerns on the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk

and throughout the entire city, the program is now being fully implemented. BIG is a proactive partnership between the

public and private sector that aims to improve the overall quality of the Atlantic City Boardwalk and beaches, and

city as a whole. BIG features an integration of city departments that conduct 24/7 observation and reconnaissance, with

attention to prevention, abatement, cleanup, engagement and enforcement. Daily visual Boardwalk and beach

inspections are conducted, while ‘See, Click, Fix’ was created internally to form one, central database for all information

and communication. Members

of BIG even took residents and

media on a bus tour of

homeless hotspots throughout

the city - from Kentucky

Avenue to Renaissance Plaza to

the wooded area off Brigantine

Boulevard - to show what

obstacles the city faces on a

daily basis.

The Public Works Department is back in your

neighborhood this summer! Their 2024 Clean

Communities program kicked off at Pete Pallitto Field

and will continue through September. If you see crews

cleaning up in your Ward, join them! Residential groups

of five or more can adopt at least four blocks during the

program and receive $200 a month for the entire group to

clean those blocks at least twice a month.

In a unique joint promotional ceremony at City Hall

between the Atlantic City Police Department and

Atlantic City Fire Department, (pictured below from left

to right) Anthony Vicchiarelli was promoted to ACFD

Fire Captain, Frank Phillips was promoted to ACFD

Battalion Chief and Robert Dodson was promoted to

ACPD Police Captain. Congratulations to all!

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SUMMER OF OUR YOUTH IN AC!

In addition to 'Great Day' Summer Camp, which is underway now, the Atlantic City Youth Services division introduced

two new events in June for Atlantic City kids and their families to enjoy together. Atlantic City’s first ‘YouthChella’

event rocked Uptown School Complex as the community came out in full force for a night of music, games and

entertainment, with some summer treats in the mix. Then, as the sun went down, a glow party for the ages got

started! Next up was the ACYS Family Cookoff, where Atlantic City youth formed a child/adult tandem for

an elimination style cooking competition at the ACCC Atlantic City campus. Each pair was given ingredients and,

over the course of three rounds, prepared an appetizer, main course and dessert. Mayor Small served as a guest judge.

The Atlantic City Police Department is once again hosting free

barbecues throughout the Summer to bring officers and the

community closer together, organized by the ACPD

Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO) program. So far,

barbecues were held in Wards 1 and 2, here’s the schedule for

the rest of the season: July 9 – Ward 4 (Texas Avenue

Playground), August 7 – Ward 5 (Pete Pallitto Field), August 12

– Ward 6 (Chelsea Heights Field), August 29 - Ward 3 (Brown’s

Park). Times are 3:00 to 5:00 PM..

The Abdullah Anderson Free Football Training Camp for Atlantic

City youth, presented by Atlantic City Recreation, returned to the

High School field this Summer. Anderson, an Atlantic City native

and NFL player, worked on skills and drills with Grades 3-8 in the

morning, before giving high schoolers the true combine experience

in the afternoon. While AC Rec’s NFL Flag Football season

continues, the division is just getting Jr. NBA and Rowing started!

Mayor Small, along with members of the ‘Mayor Marty Small, Sr.

Scholarship’ selection committee, have notified the winners of

the second year of the scholarship program. Just like last

year, 100 scholarships of $10,000 each were awarded.

45 Scholarships – Atlantic City residents who are

current seniors who just graduated from Atlantic

City High School

45 Scholarships – Atlantic City residents who

graduated from Atlantic City High School who are

incoming college sophomores, juniors and seniors

9 Scholarships – Atlantic City residents who

graduated from Atlantic City High School who are

currently pursuing a Masters or Doctorate Degree

1 Scholarship – Partnership with nonprofit Battle

by the Bay (broken in to 10 $1,000 scholarships)

5

Congratulations to the newest members

of the Atlantic City Beach Patrol, who

completed their lifeguard tests at the

start of the season at Beach Patrol

Headquarters, and best wishes on a safe

Summer! All Atlantic City beaches are

now fully operational through Labor

Day Weekend. Guarded beach hours

are 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily. ALWAYS

swim in front of a lifeguard, and adhere

to the lifeguard's instructions.

Atlantic City seniors haven’t just been busy

locally lately, they’ve been traveling all over

thanks to the Atlantic City Senior Services

division! Recent trips include the Columbus

Farmers Market, shopping in Cape May, a

Broadway show in New York and a Father’s

Day trip to Philadelphia to see the Phillies in

action. Back at home, the seniors got to enjoy

a citywide Paint Party, while taking

advantage of the beautful weather during

Summer Walking Club.

In celebration of Pride Month, the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs and City of

Atlantic City Multicultural Services, part of the Great Pride Committee, held

Atlantic City's first ever Great Pride Day! This action-packed day included the

Rainbow Ride, Equality March, a Flag Raising at Rainbow Beach and the AC Pride

Reception at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. It all wrapped up with the Great Pride

Festival at Brighton Park. The Multicultural Office also teamed up with the

Mayor’s Office and Mayor’s Office of Special Events for two Juneteenth

celebrations at City Hall, one an employee appreciation breakfast, the other a

celebration of freedom ceremony in the lobby. And the Multicultural Office held

another successful Financial Literacy Class - this one En Espanol – to give our

residents the tools needed to start and continue their financial journey. The

next course, offered in English, will be September 26th, more details to come.

The City of Atlantic City was well

represented at the recent Gun

Violence Reduction Conference in

New Brunswick by our One

Neighborhood Evolution Anti-

Violence team. Other New Jersey

cities at the conference were so

impressed by our program, they

invited our team to speak to those

cities about forming similar units!

And it was a job well done by the

Atlantic City residents who

completed free Computer 101

Training, courtesy of our Re-Entry

Services division, who organized a

Finacnail Literacy Course in August.

6

Can We Say Great Day?!

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