State Sen. Vin Gopal Weighs In On Ocean Grove Cross-Shaped Pier

OCEAN GROVE, NJ — A Democratic state Senator has now waded into the controversy over a pier shaped like a cross in Ocean Grove.

The lawmaker is state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-NJ11), who represents Neptune Township, which includes Ocean Grove.

"Many residents of Ocean Grove have reached out to me concerned about the Camp Meeting Association's potential construction of a cross-shaped pier," Gopal tweeted on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 5. "I am strongly urging the (Camp Meeting Association) to meet with residents, hear their concerns, & construct a pier that will be inclusive of all residents of Ocean Grove and Neptune Township."

Gopal attended the Ocean Grove Homeowners Association meeting this past Saturday.

"There were about 100 residents there and they were overwhelmingly upset with the process. Not so much that it's shaped like a cross, but that they haven't been included in the process," said Gopal.

Gopal has said he personally has "no problem" with it being shaped like a cross.

"It has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with the Camp Meeting Association communicating more," he said.

The pier was designed by and will be built by the Methodist Camp Meeting Association. The Camp Meeting Association owns the beach on which the pier sits and owns all the land in Ocean Grove, which began as a Methodist seaside summer religious retreat.

At least one Ocean Grove resident, who is angry about the public pier, said he personally contacted Gopal's office to complain about the pier. That resident, Shane Martins, a lawyer, said the pier represents "Christian nationalism" and blurs the line between the separation of church and state.

Martins said about a year ago, he and all Ocean Grove residents received a flyer from the Camp Meeting Association, notifying them they would be building a new pier. He said he considered donating money to the campaign and that the flyer never included or showed how the new pier would look.

"They definitely did not show in that flyer how the pier would look," said Martins.

When asked if he had a response to Gopal's comments, Camp Meeting Association president Michael Badger reiterated the pier will be entirely open to the public, something the old fishing pier was not. Badger previously said a rendering of how the pier will look has been up on his organization's website for the past three years.

"All people (regardless of whether they are a local, visitor or any other status) are invited to enjoy the pier," said Badger. "What we wanted to do was expand access to the water and expand viewing points to look at the Atlantic Ocean. But as we went along, we realized it looked like a cross and that seemed pretty cool to us. We recognize the shape and we are very excited to present it to the community. We do celebrate our faith."

Construction on the pier is still scheduled to start next Monday, Sept. 12.

Gopal represents New Jersey's 11th District in Trenton, including towns such as Long Branch, Eatontown, Tinton Falls, Ocean Township and Red Bank.

Original Patch report on the pier: Pier In Shape Of Cross Stirs Up Anger In Jersey Shore Town (Aug. 22)