Workers Contend With Frigid Weather While Trying To Rebuild Belmar Boardwalk

BELMAR, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It's days like Wednesday that make you dream of summertime and the beach.

On some area beaches, workers were braving the frigid weather to make sure those dreams become reality.

Jason Guenther has been working in construction since he was a teenager.

He's 25 now.

So even though he's young, he has years of experience keeping warm on the job.

"It's pretty cold. Yesterday was worse because of the wind. Today ain't too bad," Guenther told CBS 2's Chris Wragge.

Guenther is among those rebuilding the boardwalk in Belmar, N.J., in the dead of winter.

"Work. Work. Gotta work hard," Guenther said. "It's easy to keep the company happy in cold weather because we work to stay warm. So it's a win-win for everybody, I guess," he said.

Guenther also sits on car mats to put a buffer between him and the cold steel. His girlfriend's father works at a dealership and gave them to him Tuesday night.

Belmar's mayor said the workers showed up on time at 7 a.m. Wednesday even though it was 10 degrees with a windchill that made it feel as if it was minus-1.

"It's admirable," said Mayor Matt Doherty. "It makes complaining for the rest of us seem pretty silly. They're out here making sure the boardwalk is completed for our small businesses and middle class families in time for this summer."

Mayor Doherty said the boardwalk construction project is actually ahead of schedule.

"Belmar has had a boardwalk since 1875 and this summer will be no different," he said.

Mayor Doherty and the rest of the Belmar community hope that the toes of sun seekers will once again trod boards of the Belmar boardwalk come summertime.

The total cost of rebuilding the boardwalk and Belmar alone is estimated at $6.6 million.

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