A Permanent Fix For A Dinosaur On Life Support

by Patricia A. Miller

Dino the Bayville dinosaur - who has stood sentinel over Route 9 in Bayville since 1932 - hasn’t looked his best in quite some time.

The township landmark is swathed in white shrink-wrap. He has no head, no eyes, no mouth, and a decidedly unsteady concrete perch outside a defunct paint store on Route 9 South.

But his current condition will soon change, thanks to the efforts of some dedicated Bayville natives.

Members of the Save the Bayville Dinosaur Committee stood next to Dino under the hot summer sun Saturday afternoon and and introduced the artist who will preside over his transformation.

Shannon MacDonald has done work for the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kiss and many more well-known bands. But her heart is still in Bayville. Born in Paul Kimball Hospital, she is a Bayville native.

“I grew up right behind this old hardware store,” she said. ”Now I’m back here doing work for people that really matter.”

Dino has watched over Bayville since taxidermist Will Farrow purchased him from a Sinclair dealer back in 1932. He has withstood blizzards, hurricanes, Superstorm Sandy and numerous motorists smacking into him. He developed a large crack around his neck earlier this year.and residents and officials became concerned for his survival.

The Save the Dinosaur Committee was born in the spring. Local historian Steve Baeli was selected as chairman. Other members include Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr., James Fosbre, chairman of the Berkeley Township Historial Society and Dave,

Committee members and volunteers removed Dino’s head and a portion of his neck in June, to prevent any further damage. The body parts are stored in an undisclosed location. Don’t ask them where. They’d have to kill you if they told you.

“We’re hoping to bring him back for at least another 50 years,” Baeli said.

Plans call for Dino to be shored up on his concrete perch, since he has virtually no support. He will be moved back from the roadway, his body turned slightly to the left and his tail curled around him, MacDonald said.

He will be reinforced with Fiberglas and smoothed out. Lighted green eyes will be placed in his sockets and his mouth will be lit up red. He’ll be painted with a special paint that defies graffiti artists, she said.

No spikes on his back, like Dino had in previous incarnations.

“This is going to be a friendly dinosaur,” MacDonald said.

Amato thanked Acquired Capital, the Texas-based firm that bought the property when the paint store failed, for allowing the group to proceed with the renovations.

For more updates on Dino, go to the Facebook page Baeli has created.

The group is also looking for donations to help pay for the restoration work. There are a number of ways residents can help.

You can mail a tax deductible donation payable to: Berkeley Township Historical Society. Put in memo of check: “Save the Bayville Dino” and mail to: Berkeley Township Historical Society, P.O. Box 9, Bayville, NJ 08721.

You can purchase a “Restore the Roar” T-Shirt for $20.00 at the PBA booth at the township’s Summer Concert series.
Please make checks out to Berkeley PBA #237 and write ”Save the Dino” in the memo portion of the check.

Can’t make the concert? No problem. Mail your check to Berkeley PBA 237, P.O. Box 237, Bayville, NJ, 08721.

You can also visit the Save the Dino gofundme page at http://www.gofundme.com/ez23vngs

The Sinclair advertising dinosaurs - collectively all named ”Dino,” debuted in the early 1930s and featured various types of dinosaurs at Sinclair gas stations throughout the country, according to the American Oil & Gas Historical Society.

To read more about the history of the Sinclair dinosaurs, click here:

http://aoghs.org/oil-amanac/sinclair-dinosaur/

Photo credit: Steve Baeli