[ad_1]
BAY HEAD – This summer, the Bay Head Improvement Association [BHIA] celebrates its 125th anniversary – continuing its legacy of serving and improving the Bay Head community and its beaches.
The BHIA was formed in 1898 by the founders of Bay Head to “provide guard service, cleaning up of beaches and patrolling them for the town of Bay Head,” according to Tom Gage, president of the BHIA.
Mr. Gage has been with the BHIA for 42 years, where he has served as its president for 40 of those years.
The BHIA does not fall under the government of Bay Head, and is instead its own entity.
“It has no connection to the town of Bay Head,” said Mr. Gage, further explaining the town’s governing body has no jurisdiction over how the BHIA operates. “Our forefathers set this up so it would be run by civilians, and not politicians.”
Headquartered at 532 Lake Ave., the BHIA sells beach badges, monitors and provides lifeguards on beaches, and keeps the access points and beaches clean.
There are 11 access points to the beaches in Bay Head: Egbert Street, Johnson Street, Mount Street, Howe Street, Bridge Avenue, Harris Street, Karge Street, Osborn Avenue, North Street, Chadwick Street and Strickland Street.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, approximately 16 to 18 lifeguards patrol the beaches of Bay Head, out of the roughly 30 that are staffed through the BHIA.
In celebration of the 125 years, the BHIA had made special beach badges this year, but does not have any big other plans to celebrate, according to Mr. Gage.
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Check out our other Bay Head stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you’re not already an annual subscriber to The Ocean Star, get your subscription today! For just $38 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
[ad_2]
Source_link
