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Despite safety concerns, town approves Polar Plunge site change

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Large events on Wrightsville’s beach strand can cause public safety and parking concerns for town officials, but Dec. 10 the board of aldermen approved a request to hold a 400-person New Year’s Day Polar Plunge at Stone Street after organizers promised to take extra precautions.

The town originally approved the inaugural Communities in Schools Polar Plunge for Johnnie Mercer’s Pier and town officials were hesitant to comply with organizer Jim Busby’s request to move the event to Stone Street. Johnnie Mercer’s Pier has more available parking, a better staging area and easier access for emergency vehicles, they argued.

Town officials were also worried about repeating a situation encountered during a previous Polar Plunge held near Moores Inlet.

“That polar plunge exceeded organizers’ expectations,” said Katie Ryan, Wrightsville Beach parks and recreation program supervisor. “It resulted in some emergency access issues.”

Busby acknowledged the town’s reasons for preferring the Johnnie Mercer’s Pier location but was adamant about moving the event to Stone Street because of the site’s proximity to the central business district.

The Polar Plunge itself takes no more than 15 minutes, Busby said, so it is important to provide activities like shopping and dining for participants to do afterward.

“We believe it’s unrealistic to expect people to drive out to the beach, jump in the ocean and then get back in the car and drive home,” he said. “We’re promoting the event as a family outing to the beach, which could involve breakfast, lunch, shopping and viewing football games at the local restaurants and bars.”

The aldermen voted in favor of Busby’s request because he agreed to take extra measures to compensate for what the Stone Street area lacks in parking and space.

Busby said he plans to hire off-duty police officers to help with traffic and in-water lifeguards to provide medical support. He will have portable toilets to supplement the public restrooms near the Trolly Stop Hot Dogs and Wrightsville Beach Methodist Church has donated their lot for overflow parking.

“You need to make sure you give access to the people living on Stone Street,” Mayor Bill Blair pointed out, “and enough policemen. So if you can agree on that number [with police chief Dan House] that would satisfy us.”

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