PARKING: More action is needed, not meetings
OCTOBER 3, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014, 9:16 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
More action, not meetings, is needed
Angela Cautillo
The article also stated that the meeting attracted the smallest turnout in the series so far, only being attended by 30 people. That’s not surprising.
Yes, a low turnout is disappointing, but I would probably have to say it’s because so many Ridgewood business owners are thinking “been there, done that.” You can find in the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce archives that it was determined by Ridgewood business leaders that there was a parking problem back in 1924.
As a former board member of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and later as its director, I tried to get the ball rolling for a parking garage in the business district. I urged the then council that it was for the future of Ridgewood’s business success, but all that happened was more money wasted on yet another parking study that said we needed more parking.
I was told by a former village manager that I would never see a parking garage in Ridgewood. It was very disheartening to hear and very sad to see the lack of vision of the Village Council at the time. Yet the buck keeps getting passed, since it’s been more than two decades after my push, 90 years after the first record of a parking problem in Ridgewood and there’s still non-solution.
The chamber is really getting people out to beat the drums. They must be taking a page from there fellow chamber member Valley hospital. Again I say.did you ever notice most of the same people that wanted the expansion of Valley want the expansion of the CBD.
You sir #1 are an idiot……live around the hospital much?
#2. What is your point?
I do not live close to the hospital and I do not think that the hospital deserves any special status in the town.
I would only select Valley as my hospital if I had a Doctor who admitted me there. At this point the doctor that I see is out of Hackensack. It is a fabulous hospital – maybe one day they will own Valley.
Had dinner in town last night. had no trouble finding a parking spot – yes I had to ride around a few blocks and yes i did not find a spot directly in front of the restaurant, but not too far away. The few blocks we walked were pleasant – and the after dinner we passed the car and kept walking as we took a stroll through town.
I’m sure some would consider the lack of immediate parking directly in front of the restaurant “a problem”, but I don’t and my experience last night was typical – maybe i am incredibly “lucky” (ha). Also a parking garage – in any of the proposed locations – would have been a longer walk for me the particular restaurant last evening.