Ridgewood NJ, on Sunday afternoon, 09/04, Ridgewood Police Patrol Officer Andrew Van Dyke was dispatched in response to a 911 telephone call that reported an errant passenger vehicle found parked along a popular nature/waking path, the Village of Ridgewood’s Dunham Trail. The driver, who was taking a leisurely walk along the trail when located by Officer Van Dyke, knowingly drove onto the trail from nearby Spring Avenue, and parked her vehicle about 300 feet in believing that no street parking was permitted in the surrounding area. Fortunately, no pedestrians were injured in the mishap. Van Dyke assisted the driver backing out of the trail onto Spring Avenue and did not issue a summons at the scene.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police report a Bear sighting .”Yogi Bear always claimed that he was smarter than the average bear, but the average bear appears to be smarter than once thought”, Psychologists Jennifer Vonk of Oakland University and Michael J.
Ridgewood NJ, resident Boyd Loving took some scenic shots of fall colors on Dunham Trail in Ridgewood . Dunham Trail is a 2.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located in Ridgewood, that features a waterfall and is good for all hiking skill levels. The trail is primarily used for walking, running, bird watching, and road biking and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
Ridgewood NJ, the Village of Ridgewood is , looking to identify the owner of a Tan pitbull with black nose being walked on a leash by an approximate 60 year old women with blonde/ white hair short with pink shirt and blue shorts that was on Dunham trail today at about 2:15pm. This dog bit a boy on a bike. If we can identify the owner and verify valid rabies certificate, this child can avoid getting the series of rabies shots. Please share and have person call Dawn at the Health Department 201 670 5500 ext 245. Thank you!
Glen Rock NJ, This morning I learned that on Halloween, sometime between 6AM-5PM, the beautiful bench on the Dunham Trail, paid for by neighbors and friends, was smashed to pieces and ripped off its concrete pad. The wood was smashed and thrown all around. It was a lot of work, so it took time and effort. The police were notified on Thursday.
Yes, placing at least a temporary camera in places where problems have been identified would make a lot of sense and cost very little. We are so lucky to have curbside trash pickup FREE roughly twice a month. There is no excuse for this laziness and yes, commission of a crime. The trouble is that once trash begins to accumulate, it’s seen as a free zone. Not true. We should all care about our parks.
Bravo to Ellie Gruber for making this public. The HHK brook bordered our former property and while we did not have people dumping directly there, we always had garbage and debris floating down the brook from storm drains. I would collect plastic bottles, styrofoam cups and plastic lids, straws, tennis balls, plastic bags and a variety of other garbage on a daily basis. Just too much litter all over and little or no respect for our few remaining wild spaces. Members of the throw away, convenience society are also very lazy and selfish.
Ridgewood NJ, at Wednesday’s Village council meeting resident Ellie Gruber recited instances of what she referred to as repeated resident dumping at Dunham Trail in Ridgewood.
According to the Ridgewood Wildscape Association Dunham Trail, a 1/4 mile, peaceful walking trail alongside the Ho Ho Kus Brook, stretches between Grove Street and Spring Avenue. The trail features beautiful views of the brook, with its two small dams and sandstone wall, butterflies and many birds, especially kingfishers and woodpeckers, plus several very old sycamore trees. The wooded areas are thick with trees and bushes.
Ms. Gruber went on to describe the poor condition of the trail due to erosion , but focused primarily on what appeared to be neighbors dumping yard waste and landscaping debris on the trail.
Ridgewood NJ, a park is also a nice place to beat the heat and Ridgewood many tree lined parks . Take advantage there are more parks than your realize ; the mission statement of the Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation is to preserve open space and provide facilities and year round recreational activities that meet the needs of all residents.
Parks
The Division of Parks is responsible for the maintenance of all Village owned parkland, athletic facilities, planting of flowerbeds (in cooperation with Project Pride) and landscaping throughout the community. In addition, the division is responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Graydon Pool facility and grounds as well as all departmental special events throughout the year.
Shade Tree
The Shade Tree Division is responsible for the maintenance and care of approximately 15, 000 Village owned street trees on 100 miles of public ways, as well as additional trees and shrubs in parks and on other public grounds. This includes all aspects, such as removal, planting, and pruning. The Shade Tree Division does a tree planting for Arbor Day, which is usually the last Friday in April. The division currently offers a memorial tree/bench program to honor the memory of a friend or family member.
Citizen’s Park
Located at the corner of Godwin Avenue and North Monroe Street. Citizen’s Park includes a softball field, multipurpose field, a small sided softball field, an open play area, benches and gardens.
Dunham Trail
Located between Grove Street and Spring Avenue along the Ho Ho Kus brook and the public service right-of-way. Dunham Trail is one of the Village wildscape areas.
On Dunham trail look for:
Sycamores and a wild cherry tree with shiny gray bark.
Triassic Sandstone, like that used to build Manhattan’s brownstones.
A linden tree wrapped in Poison Ivy rope.
Springtime Dogtooth Violets, False Solomon’s Seal, Spring Beauties, Yellow Primroses, Pink Japanese Knotweed, and the biggest patch of Canadian Mayflowers in Ridgewood.
Graydon Park
Located on the corner of North Maple Avenue and Linwood Avenue. Graydon Park offers a hockey court, skateboard park, basketball courts, swimming, ice-skating, picnic area, shuffleboard, children’s playground, shelter, and restrooms. Click on the following link to find all that Graydon Pool has to offer – Graydon Pool website.
Grove Park
Located on the south side of Grove Street, just west of the Saddle River. This is one of Ridgewood’s wildscape areas, which include nature trails for walking.
In the 32 acres of beech forest and field that make up Grove Park, you will find:
Spring flowers that bloom between April and May before they disappear when the shade thickens.
The tulip poplars are the tallest and straightest trees in the wooded area.
You can look for the honeycombs located on top of the bee tree.
Turkey Tails and fungi can be found on fallen logs.
Kings Pond Park
Located off Lakeview Drive by the Midland Park border. Kings Pond Park offers a natural wildlife area, ice-skating, when permitted, and nature trails for walking. Kings Pond and Gypsy Pond offer a great variety of birds and mammal life.
In the parks you can also find:
Large glacial rocks at Park entrance are Canadian Shield Boulders.
Along the railroad track, wild azalea (pinxter) bloom.
Bracket fern and fiddleheads abound in the woods.
Ducks, Canada Geese and over 40 species of birds live here.
Wild garlic and mustard are abundant.
The general depth of the ponds is about 3 feet.
Leuning Park
Located on the corner of Northern Parkway and Meadowbrook Avenue. Leuning Parks offers an open play area.
Irene Habernickel Family Park
Located at 1037 Hillcrest Road in the northern most corner of the Village, this ten-acre park property has an abundance of mature trees. These trees help to define various areas of the property.
This special park property offers an opportunity for both passive and active recreation through the balance of wide open space, ball fields, natural areas, and a one-acre pond.
In the development stage; plans are to revive the dam and bridge area, install a children’s playground, multi-purpose fields, several walking trails and an arboretum complete with gardens.
This new park is soon to include nature programs as well as other passive opportunities as wildlife prevail such as mammals, reptiles and assorted birds.
Maple Park
Located on the corner of Meadowbrook Avenue and Northern Parkway. Maple Park offers one of Ridgewood wildscape areas as well as a community garden (Link to community garden page), part of the fitness trail (link to the parcourse fitness circuit page), benches, flowers, and nature trails. A regulation turf field hosts soccer, lacross and softball year round.
On the west and east banks of the Ho-Ho-Kus brook between Graydon Pool and Meadowbrook Avenue.
In Maple Park, look for:
A 70-year-old wisteria tree.
One of the largest stands of red cedar in this part of New Jersey.
A Porcupine (Sweet Gum) Tree.
A half dozen of different varieties of fern.
Fig-leaf magnolias with thin graceful leaves.
An herb garden.
On the east side of the brook, delicate grasses, berry bushes, and wild flowers that attract butterflies and birds of many descriptions.
North Road Park
Located on North Road, off of Glen Avenue east of Route 17. This is a natural wildlife area.
Pleasant Park
Located at the end of Stevens Avenue, behind Hawes School. Pleasant Park also offers one of the Village’s wildscape areas.
Pleasant Park offers a natural wildlife area, which includes:
Fallen “nurse” logs, nourishing many insects, lichens, ferns and fungi.
Green beggar ticks, jewelweed, ragweed, and purple loosestrife, all in the late summer.
Quaking aspen trees, with flat leaf stems (petioles) that quiver in the breeze.
New York ferns and lady ferns.
Grape vines.
Sassafras or “mitten” trees, whose name comes from the shape of the leaf.
A tree trunk shaped like a giraffe.
A wide variety of birds reside in this wooded community, which makes for excellent bird watching.
Schedler Property
This recent open space purchase is located between Route 17 and West Saddle River Road with development plans yet to be determined.
Twinney Pond Park
Located at the north end of Red Birch Court. Twinney pond offers a wildlife area, nature trails and ice-skating.
At Twinney Pond Park, this three foot deep kettle pond created by glaciers, you can see the following:
Sunfish as they sweep clean spots on the pond floor to make nests.
Shaggy Birches, Pin Oaks, and Locust Trees.
Veronica, they look like tiny orchids on the ground.
Button Bushes that will produce white pompoms this summer.
Dragonflies, with clear wings outspread, and Damsel Flies, with wings swept back and colored.
The life cycle of a tadpole.
Ice skating when the weather and ice permits.
Memorial Park at Van Neste Square
Located at East Ridgewood Avenue between Walnut Street and Oak Street. Van Neste offers a relaxing location in the center of town. Located in the park are the War Memorial Monument, benches, and gardens.
Veteran’s Field
Located at the corner of Linwood Avenue and Northern and Parkway. Veteran’s field is home to softball fields, hardball fields, multipurpose fields, running track, fitness circuit, amphitheater, open play area, and restrooms.
Ridgewood NJ, Many readers over the years have often complained about petty vandalism ,and in particular the stealing of Village signs around town . From the Facebook page “it takes a village” we recently learned that the Dunham Trail sign has gone missing . According to Patricia Barnwell Pechko “My pet peeve has always been vandalism. I am so upset that one of the signs my son built for his Eagle Scout service has been stolen from the Dunham Trail entrance on Spring Street. It was multi-bolted and steel reinforced so this was no small task to steal. If anyone sees it laying around, please let me know so we can fix and remount it.”
Folks it is often more than just the signs its the effort and thought as well as the cost that goes into these things.
Reader Reports flooding and erosion on Dunham Trail
Just wanted to alert the walkers, runners and bikers that portions of the Dunham Trail that runs from Grove St to Spring Ave has experienced some serious embankment erosion. One area is very dicey…the path barely “single track” wide. Take care with your dogs and yourselves.
Twinney Pond Park is located at the north end of Red Birch Court. Twinney pond offers a wildlife area, nature trails and ice-skatin
