The city of Wildwood and students from Glenwood Avenue Elementary School have teamed up to place a 30-year time capsule in a park that was started with a $10,000 grant and wound up becoming a $150,000 renovated public space.

Jack Morey, a second-generation partner at Morey's Pier, said the project was born pre-pandemic. The elementary school adopted the park, which is owned by the city, using it it as an outdoor learning center.

Morey said they named the park "SOLCOW", which the kids from last year's fifth grade class later approved. It means Socratic Outdoor Learning Center of Wildwood.

Morey said students filled the time capsule with various items after being asked to consider several questions: What will the future be like? Will there be cell phones in the future? Will there be cars in the future? What's your memory of 2020? Do you have any recollection of the pandemic?

Morey made his own emotional contribution to the capsule.

"I'm writing a letter to grandkids that I do not have right now and 2020 is a hell of a year to tell someone you don't know about the year of 2020," he said.

The time capsule, which is stainless steel, goes inside a concrete vault. The capsule has a bronze cover with instructions saying when the capsule should be opened in 2050.

Morey appreciates that the park is filled with items that have multiple uses. For example, the time capsule doubles as a bench. The solar tree is a piece of art but it also creates electricity. The flag pole also demonstrates the summer and winter solstice. The beach balls are for sitting but they are also aligned with the proper orientation of all eight planets.

Beach Ball in Solcow Park, Wildwood Photo Credit: Lisa Fagan
Beach Ball in Solcow Park, Wildwood
Photo Credit: Lisa Fagan
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Many contractors donated their time and money to develop the park. Morey said contractors put their parents' name on the donation plaque instead of their own because their parents were graduates of Wildwood High School.

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