
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, we have been told over and over that there are not enough playing fields in the Village for the RBSA , but a recent ride around the village would suggest otherwise . We realize it is an isolated moment in time ,but if we are short on fields why does Glen School now have one ball field when it used to have two? By the way the grass looks nice.
Continue reading Not Enough Ball Fields in Ridgewood They Say
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, during Wednesday night’s meeting, the public comments once again turned to a discussion on Zabriskie Schedler Property . Ridgewood resident Siobhan Winograd expressed her frustration over the rate of progress at the Schedler property .
Continue reading Zabriskie Schedler Property in the Eye of an Agenda Driven Storm
“Why are the neighbors, who opposed the original project are supporting this new project?”
How is this a representation of the neighborhood? Schedler AdHoc Committee: Ramon Hache, Michael Sedon, Michael Winograd, Nancy Bigos, Matthew Cunningham, Dan Cramblitt, Tim Cronin, Manish Shrimali, Nick Whitney, Phil Dolce, Paul D’Arpa, Ellie Gruber
Neighbors are not supporting this project. Council hand picked and created a bogus AdHoc committee and claimed the 5 appointed members are the voice of neighbors. The Council completely ignored procedure and the hundreds of public statements given at the Public Meetings. Instead of creating a plan based on required public comments, they went with a plan created behind closed doors-by a hand full of pro field people. FACTS
Here is just one evening of meeting minutes. There are many more.
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/clerk-minutes/1328-village-council-public-work-session-minutes-20151028
Speaking of habernickel. That was a give away to a business ( a friend of Roberta’s). There is a baseball field,- soccer field, parks and rec activities AND a very busy business owned by a private person who lives in NY ( a classmate of Roberta’s ) which brings in camps, buses, field trips, birthday parties, evening dinner parties and so on. Full use of 11 acres…all for $3700 a month!!
Sorry schedler but once the ball starts rolling and Your Park is created ( no matter what the size ) the possibilities of what could happen are endless!!
Beware
December 7,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at last night council meet Dr. Salvin Santino made a compelling case during public comment that Dr. Santino said he was flabbergasted that the Village was still considering sports fields at the Schedler Property. The Dr. went on to say that is it “medically wrong” to have children exercise in an area with close proximity to a very trafficked high way .
Dr. Santino went on to share the science data that led to his statement . “Pollutions comes in many different forms . Most pollution we talk about is small particle carbon dioxide but there are other kinds of pollution ie large particle pollution generated from cars and trucks” in exhaust, with diesel fumes being among the most carcinogenic . The Doctor then referred to the brake down of rubber from car tires, and the release of carcinogens when brakes on cars are applied.
Exercise he said ,”only increases your metabolism and increases your intake of carcinogens if you are near them”. he went on “Children are even more susceptible to the negative effects of these carcinogens.”
November 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, once again the Schedler Property in Ridgewood seems to be in play. Rumors are swirling on the east side of route 17 ,that the current tree clearing is really to make way for more ball fields .
Jacqueline Hone commented on Facebook on Ridgewood History, “There has been an ongoing debate about the Schedler property in Ridgewood. Artifacts dating back to the Revolutionary war were discovered on this property. Here is a British Lieutenant’s sword, dated 1747, found at Schedler. Also, a letter written by the same man describing his approach to battle on this site. Our Village Stewards are moving towards converting this historical, untouched, wooded area into another ball field. Many felt the area should be preserved historically and left as a nature/discovery walk. How do you feel about this? Does anyone have pictures, stories or artifacts related to Schedler?”
Mayor Susan Traina Knudsen also commented on Facebook saying , “The previous plan for a 90′ field required clear cutting the lot to accomodate a 300′ outfield, plus a practice area, seating, parking lot, bathroom/concession and more. That plan also included the removal of the historic house plus a 60’H x 300’L errant ball net along route 17….my recollection of the size.
This Village Council unanimously voted to repeal the plan for the 90′ baseball field at the location and subsequently appointed an ad hoc committee to look at how to best proceed with the property.
It is fair to say the Schedler neighborhood is very well represented on the Ad hoc committee. Other members include two VC ,VoR staff, representation from both Wildscape & parks/rec, and residents.
This Village Council is committed to doing better and preserving one of the last remaining historic Dutch frame houses in New Jersey…the Zabriski/Schedler house has a Certificate of Eligibility for historic recognition and is listed in the Historic element of the Village of RIdgewood Master Plan.
To date, no new plan has been presented for VC review; however, I anticipate one or more plans will be forthcoming in December.
Matching grant money has been awarded for both the house restoration and property. Work on the house requires appropriate historic restoration and will begin early spring-ish 2018. Non-historic structures will be removed including the garage and severly damaged shed. Additionally dead and fallen trees will be removed allowing for new, healthier growth on the ground beneath the tree canopy.
I hope and anticipate a compromise will include a neighborhood children’s playground, a smaller practice/playing multipurpose field, and walking nature paths – all while maintaining a healthier, densely wooded lot.
Doing nothing leaves a blank slate for future plans. Development and implementation of a thoughtful plan, accomodating a variety of interests, is important for the entire community.
In closing, there has been significant resident input in this process including council meetings, public meetings, public hearings at both the Village and county level, emails, neighborhood meetings and more.”
Why Making The Schedler Property in Ridgewood Into A Ballfield Is Dumb
https://theridgewoodblog.net/why-making-the-schedler-property-into-a-ballfield-is-dumb/
TOM JOHNSON | NOVEMBER 23, 2016
Money represents first to come from stable source of funding approved by voters in 2014
Credit: newsworks.org
For the first time in two years, the state is looking to award up to $67.4 million in funding to municipalities, counties, and nonprofit groups to acquire open space and develop recreational projects.
The state Department of Environmental Protection is accepting applications for the first chunk of money to be doled by a new stable source of funding approved by voters back in the fall of 2014 for Green Acres projects.
A dispute between the Christie administration and the Legislature that lasted months derailed the annual disbursement of grants and loans to towns and other groups for park development, land acquisition, and, for the first time, stewardship of protected land.
For those suggesting the town should sell it (Schedler Park), as a neighbor, I wouldn’t be horrified. The neighborhood would have many more legal protections from a private developer that the Village doesn’t need to comply with. Chiefly, ingress/egress from Rt. 17 and noise reduction.
It was bought with open space money from the County, not just the Village, and is supposed to guarantee a balance of active and passive space. Secondary to the pay-to-play development, it looks like only a baseball field will be built, and 74 parking spots. All this for the 2nd 90′ field the mayor says he ‘promised’ RBSA to make up for the field lost at BF. That field was already promised to RBSA at lower Hawes, courtesy of the CMX report which the Village paid 80K dollars for. The mayor knows this because he questioned the involved parties directly when that plan was adopted. The facts are in the minutes and speak for themselves.
Why doesn’t RBSA want that field? Why haven’t they done anything to advance that plan since 2008? Why haven’t they made the already approved improvements to Somerville’s field also approved in 2008? Why wouldn’t the Village encourage them to develop park space adjacent to an elementary school where more of the Village could benefit from it? Why would RBSA want to take on fundraising to develop an entire park instead of a cheaper renovation to an existing and approved space? Upon OPRA request, there is no documentation of any reason why the fields can’t be exactly where they were already ‘promised.’