Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 26 ISSUE 15
WOODCLIFF LAKE
‘GALAXY GARDENS’ PARK
Site comes alive with amenities in architect renderings; generous donations in; opening anticipated in 2023
UNVEILED
JUNE 27, 2022
12U FALCONS TOURNEY CHAMPS Undefeated in Bergen County charity classic
See GALAXY on page 114
‘I’M DONE.’ COUNCIL BAILS ON 95 LINWOOD CONTRACT
Had no appetite for more environmental studies; town hiring for admin
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Five-plus years after its purchase, and following $400,000 in remediation costs due to soil contamination from prior uses, the long-planned passive park proposed at the former Galaxy Gardens site at Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue should open to the public. The parkʼs opening date is likely late summer to early fall of 2023, said an architect hired to help design the park and manage construction. He estimated construction costs at $3.5 million. The site was purchased in 2018 for $1.65 million. Mayor Carlos Rendo said most of the parkʼs costs have been underwritten by county grant funds, municipal Open Space funds, and private donations. “The park is finally coming together. Itʼs a great thing to take an environmentally-impacted area, clean it up, and give it back to the community,” said Rendo. He called the parkʼs development a partnership of the county, community, and council for nearly a decade in planning and development. As of this month, no official name had been selected for the park, which informally is “Galaxy Gardens Park,” sited on approximately 2.1 acres at a busy intersection of two county roads. The naming rights are one
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON
The Washington Township Falcons stormed on, undefeated, Memorial Day weekend against a pool of 12 teams, coming out on top as 12U Town Champions. It was ‘a weekend filled with hits in bunches, sparkling defensive plays, and dominating pitching.’ Inset: each winning player gets a championship ring.
T
BY KRISTIN BEUSCHER SPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP Falcons are the 2022 Bergen County Charity Classic 12U Town Champions! The boys went undefeated over Memorial Day weekend to land on top of a pool of 12 travel teams and win the tournament. It was a weekend filled with timely hitting, sparkling defensive plays and dominating pitching. The Bergen County Charity Classic is an annual baseball tournament that raises money for charities that support youth athletes and foundations for families associated with youth sports HE
who have faced tragedy or illness. The organization has raised over $1,175,000 in support of these charities as well as scholarship awards over the past 18 years. “It felt good to win a tournament that was for a great cause,” said the teamʼs pitcher, Logan Janosz. “It was nice to see us play our best at the right time,” added centerfielder Dominic Santaite III. “Everyone contributed in some way to help win the tournament.”
Continued on page 31
The protest signs can come down. The township is backing out of purchasing 95 Linwood Ave., the 1.5 acre property formerly home to a Charlie Brownʼs restaurant here. The reason, according to Township Council president Desserie Morgan on June 21: environmental concerns at the site requiring yet more study. A motion to withdraw from the contract was approved, 5-0, late on June 20, town clerk Susan Witkowski told Pascack Press on June 21. Council had resolved to purchase the site for $1.35 million for a public good and was within an extension granted for due dilligence. Although the owner had agreed to extend the due diligence period until July 18, the recent findings of gas pump piping underground and a request for more environmental studies weighed heavily on council members. The latest report recommended spending another $12,000 to $17,000 to further study what historic underground piping or storage tanks may exist on the site as well as soil and groundwater contamination. “We voted unanimously not to
See DONE on page 144
GOING PLACES!
B ck in time...
Four standout students are this year’s Knights of Columbus Mother Seton Council #5427 scholarship recipients. Their credentials are mightily impressive. SEE PAGE 13
Off the beaten path from the Pascack Valley railroad line, River Vale had stayed rural well into the 20th century. By the mid-’50s things were about to change. Kristin Beuscher reports.
SEE PAGE 4