Lou Booth Amphitheater To Be Removed
The Lou Booth Amphitheater, which has been a fixture on North Wildwood’s beach, may soon be removed according to an new article by the Cape May Herald.
This all stems back to a legal dispute between North Wildwood and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) over coastal protection projects.
North Wildwood’s Lou Booth Amphitheater To Be Removed
In an interview with the Herald, Mayor Patrick Rosenello announced that a settlement has been drafted to end the litigation, which has involved significant legal costs for both parties.
Under the terms of the agreement, the city will pay $1.7 million to settle $12.8 million in fines levied by the DEP for unapproved shore protection work.
In return, North Wildwood will drop its $21 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against the NJDEP.
As part of the settlement, the city will also remove the Lou Booth Amphitheatre.
Additionally, a section of bulkhead near Fifth Avenue, built without state approval, will be reconfigured. The city will also plant vegetation in a barren area near Hereford Inlet.
A portion of the $1.7 million, specifically $1 million, will fund shore protection efforts directly benefiting North Wildwood, while $700,000 will be directed to a state environmental fund.
Removing the Lou Booth Amphitheatre
Opened in the 1970s, Lou Booth Amphitheatre was originally designed as a community gathering space for performances, concerts, and other events. Over the years, it became a popular venue for local residents and tourists alike, hosting a variety of entertainment such as the Concerts Under the Stars.
According to an article posted in The Wildwood Sun by the Sea Magazine, after Lou Booth passed away, her ashes were scattered near the amphitheater. Louisa’s family donated funds from her estate to help build the amphitheater, which was designed to host summer concerts. The city subsequently named the amphitheater in Louisa’s memory.
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The state wants the Lou Booth Amphitheatre removed and placed with vegetation to help keep the dune in place.
The roots of plants help bind the sand together, preventing it from being blown away by the wind. This stabilization reduces the risk of dune erosion, especially during storms or high winds.
While that section of the dune hasn’t had any issues in the past, the NJDEP wants to make sure for the future there won’t be a problem.
Rebuilding Fifth Avenue’s Bulkhead
The DEP feels that the existing shape of the bulkhead at 5th Avenue is causing more harm than help, something the Mayor had addressed a few months back.
Presently the bulkhead angles out into the sea, which the NJDEP feels could cause more erosion. They would like to see that flattened out. This is in pair to the same thing the Mayor proposed back in 2021.
If they move in the direction of the 2021 plan, we will see the bulkhead on the 5th, 6th, and 7th Avenues be moved inland with a smooth-lined section.
We would then see rock placed from 3rd-7th Avenue in front of the bulkhead. This is similar to what we see on the Anglesea wall walk.
Lastly, sand would be placed on top of the wall like we currently see in the bulkheads from 7th Ave to 12th Street.
While this does seem like a ton of work and a loss due to the removal of the Lou Booth Amphitheater, it will finally end the contentious lawsuits between the city and DEP which could help move additional projects down the line.
What do you think of this compromise?
The Wildwood Video Archive stopped by the Wildwood Boardwalk to film an update to Phase 6 of the Wildwood Boardwalk Reconstruction.
Below is the video breaking down this project. Before you watch please subscribe.