New App Highlights Sandy Recovery and Seaside Heights Walking Tour

The Shore may look fully restored, but Hurricane Sandy’s destruction is far from forgotten.

Boardwalk Stories from Sandy gives firsthand accounts of the storm along with a walking tour of Seaside Heights, one of the communities hit hardest by Sandy. The audio tour includes stories from residents, business owners, local government leaders, and journalists.

“We tried to do it in a way that draws in people interested in Sandy and others who don’t understand the science or who might not understand why people would want to rebuild,” said Benjamen Walker, one of the app’s developers. “Everyone can learn something.”

The app was made by Walker, Francesca Panetta, and Ravenna Koenig, according to the Washington Times. They wanted to inspire critical thinking during the continuing rebuilding and looking for new solutions to communities’ vulnerabilities.

“The walking tour helps people understand that the recovery is a long-term effort. Sandy was a major disaster. Everything may look okay on the face of it but it’s really not,” said Justin Auciello, who manages Jersey Shore Hurricane News.

The walking tour goes from Lafayette Avenue in Seaside Park to Ortley Beach. The app tracks the listener’s progress through GPS, and starts a new story when they stop at a predetermined location. Users can also listen to the stories at home in armchair mode.

The app is available for iPhones and androids.

(Photo credit: Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation)