Seaside Park is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,263. Seaside Park is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.

What is now Seaside Park was a section of Dover Township (now known as Toms River Township) until the creation of Berkeley Township in 1875. The area then became known as the “Sea Side Park” section of Berkeley Township. Over the next twenty-five years, lots were sold, houses and roads were built, and the population of Seaside Park began to slowly grow.

On March 3, 1898, New Jersey Senate President Foster M. Voorhees, the acting Governor of New Jersey, signed a bill incorporating “Sea Side Park” as an independent borough, created from portions of Berkeley Township. Originally, the town ran from 14th Avenue to North Avenue, about half its present size. An area known as the Berkeley Tract, north of the original area of the borough, was annexed on or about May 12, 1900.

As the community grew, the name of the borough lost a space. In 1914, a newly-appointed municipal clerk wrote the name of the town as “Seaside Park” in the council minutes. This practice continues to this day.

Geography

Seaside Park is located at (39.927154, -74.077602). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (14.47%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,263 people, 1,127 households, and 606 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,481.5 people per square mile (1,344.2/km²). There were 2,811 housing units at an average density of 4,324.6/sq mi (1,669.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.79% White, 0.27% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.30% of the population.

There were 1,127 households out of which 16.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.2% were non-families. 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the borough the population was spread out with 14.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $45,380, and the median income for a family was $58,636. Males had a median income of $42,813 versus $27,333 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,090. About 6.4% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Seaside Park is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.

The Mayor of Seaside Park is Thomas E. Connors (D, term expires December 31, 2011). Borough Council Members are Jim Jablonski (R, 2009), Nancy Koury (D, 2008), Dr. Frank "Fritz" McHugh (D, 2010), Sharon Pratico (D, 2009) and Norma Spice (R, 2008) and a vacancy created by the death of Agnes Wierzbowski (D, 2010) (which will also cause a special election in November 2008 to fill out the unexpired term).

Federal, state and county representation

Seaside Park is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 10th Legislative District.

Education

The Seaside Park School District serves public school students in Kindergarten through sixth grade. Seaside Park Elementary School had an enrollment of 108 students in the 2005-06 school year.

Students in public school for grades 7 through 12 attend the schools of the Central Regional School District, which serves students from the municipalities of Berkeley Township, Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. The total student population in the district is approximately 2,400, instructed by 200 staff members. The schools in the district are Central Regional Middle School for grades 7 and 8 (833 students), and Central Regional High School for grades 9 - 12 (1,494 students).

References

External links

• Seaside Park official website
• Seaside Park Elementary School
• Data for the Seaside Park Elementary School, National Center for Education Statistics
• Central Regional School District