From left: Camden City Mayor Vic Carstarphen, Camden City Fire Chief Jesse Flax, Sacred Heart Pastor Fr. Vincent Guest. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
Camden City to Sign $6.7M Deal with EMR After February Fire; Residents Seek Assurances
The agreement pours millions into a Waterfront South neighborhood that’s borne the brunt of six fires in nine years at the metal recycling facility, and is supported by legislative changes that could sharpen the teeth of enforcement actions. Neighbors want accountability from the business. The fire marshal’s report describes chaotic circumstances at the scene, including EMR workers ignoring instructions from firefighters and spreading flaming debris.
The facility will serve as a community gathering space, with a private dressing room for entertainers playing the nearby McLaughlin-Norcross Memorial Dell. It's another facet of the $100-million Parks Alive 2025 county greenspace reinvestment project.
The upgrades change the playground experiences at Haddon Creek and Newton Lake Parks, with ADA-compliant access, new age-appropriate equipment, poured play surfaces, and improved stormwater engineering.