AUGUST 20, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015, 2:40 PM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The village has been experiencing some seriously hot weather recently, with temperatures venturing past 90 degrees.
Though it had yet to be officially declared a heat wave by Tuesday, the temperatures were still scorching, necessitating the use of “cooling stations” around Ridgewood.
These locations offer an overheated individual the opportunity to rest and take a respite from the heat until they are feeling back to normal. Two such locations are the Ridgewood Public Library and the Community Center at Village Hall.
Nancy Greene, director of the library, said the doors “are open seven days a week throughout the year, except for major holidays.”
“We are one of the few libraries in Bergen County that maintains Sunday hours all summer – and we find that summer is our busiest time,” she said. “Hundreds of adults and children arrive every day and often stay for hours.”
These amenities make the library a desirable destination for those looking to cool off.
Readers say Graydon Pool is a wonderful facility. Poor/incompetent management is the facility’s major problem.
Wasn’t there an instance many years ago in which Graydon either opened a week early, or closed a week later due to a major heat wave? Now, the management just doesn’t seem to give a damn about satisfying the public. By the way, what ever happen to the Wibit?
I love Graydon; have been going for many years; Wibit is too large’ crowds out swimming room. Since you can no longer swim past ropes; the swimming area is too small now in deep end. It used to be fun swimming from one area to another.
In Allendale you can still cross sections.
Graydon should have swimmers and guests sign swimming level when they first come in and have green dot on badge to show permission to swim in deep area and cross over to other sections
Excuses, excuses, excuses; nothing but lame excuses. The lifeguard issue could be easily resolved if management wanted it resolved. Memorial Pool in Fair Lawn is a sand bottom pool – same issue with lifeguard training & staffing. Look at their posted hours of operation:
Open Thursday, June 25 to Monday, September 7, 2014
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (7 Days a Week) (weather permitting)
NOTE: The Pool will be temporarily closed from Monday, August 31 to Friday, September 4
All pools have to manage the schedules of young lifeguards. This is not unique to Ridgewood. Have other towns cut hours or os ot just a Ridgewood problem?
Who is the person from Parks n Rec responsible for staffing? Someone has some ‘explaining to do.
I have been there three times this week and there were plenty of patrons, including at 7:20 one evening.
Crestwood Lake in Allendale, also a sand bottom. Open 1/2 hour longer than Graydon.
Crestwood Lake Hours
Early Season
May 23 through June 19
Monday – Friday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Weekends/Holidays: 10:00am – 7:00pm
Regular Season
June 20 through August 14
Monday – Friday 11:00am – 8:00pm
Weekends/Holidays: 10:00am – 8:00pm
Late Season*
August 15 through September 7
Monday – Friday 11:00am – 7:00pm
Weekends/Holidays: 10:00am – 7:00pm
It is “empty” because a 12 noon start time is not good for parents of children who are up early and ready to nap by 1 PM. Check out Glen Rock’s hours:
Ridgewood NJ, Duh? Couldn’t someone at Village Hall and/or The Stable have figured out how to have capitalized on this heat wave? The “not enough lifeguards” excuse is just kind of lame.
Late Season – Monday, August 17 to Sunday, August 30th
Weekends, 10 am to 7:30 pm
Weekdays, 12 noon to 7:30 pm
POOL CLOSED – Monday, August 31 through Friday, September 4
Labor Day Weekend – Saturday, Sept 5 through Monday, Sept 7
Daily, 10 am to 7:30 pm
Swimming just part of the lesson for Ridgewood program
AUGUST 7, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A group of inner-city children filed off big yellow school buses on Tuesday, excited for the day of swimming and fun that awaited them.
They came from Paterson, where accessible bodies of water are not very abundant, to idyllic Ridgewood and Graydon Pool as part of the Citizens For Swimming program.
Founded in 1968, Citizens For Swimming is a charitable initiative that brings about 75 kids out of the urban landscape and into suburbia, in order to give them nine days of fun and to teach them how to swim.
“I work in public health, so I know that learning to swim is really important for kids,” said Dawn Walter, who runs the program. “They’ll be in situations throughout their lives where, even if they don’t know how to swim, learning a little water safety can save their lives.
“Many of the kids move up several swim levels during their nine days of lessons,” she said. “We feel that teaching the kids to swim can help keep them safe for a lifetime.”
This seemed to be a theme among the volunteers, as two others expressed their desire to teach the kids how to swim out of concern for their long-term safety.
JULY 31, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A recent sunny afternoon at Ridgewood’s Graydon Pool included an important lesson for children, thanks to the “Storytime at Graydon” event.
The weekly event, which involves one or more volunteers reading aloud to youngsters at the pool, was hosted by lifeguards last week.
The story they read, “Two Naughty Chickens at the Beach,” warned listeners of the dangers of swimming alone, and explained that swimming near lifeguards is very important.
“It’s so much fun,” said Melanie Taylor, one of the readers, while wearing a hat made out of a paper plate resembling a chicken.
She wasn’t the only one dressed up for the event, as many of the lifeguards were wearing various chicken costumes made out of paper plates.
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Twenty-five years ago, through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our nation committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is proud to play a critical role in enforcing the ADA, working towards a future in which all the doors are open to equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, integration and economic self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the ADA, each month the Department of Justice will spotlight efforts that are opening gateways to full participation and opportunity for people with disabilities.
ADA : Good Intentions Gone Bad
BY JOHN STOSSEL
You own a business, maybe a restaurant. You’ve got a lot to worry about. You have to make sure the food is safe and tastes good, that the place is clean and appealing, that workers are friendly and paid according to a hundred Labor Department and IRS rules.
On top of that, there are rules you might have no idea about. The bathroom sinks must be a specified height. So must the doorknobs and mirrors. You must have rails. And if these things aren’t right — say, if your mirror is just one inch too high — you could be sued for thousands of dollars.
And be careful. If you fail to let a customer bring a large snake, which he calls his “service animal,” into your restaurant, you could be in trouble.
All of this is because of the well-intentioned Americans With Disabilities Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed 20 years ago.
The ADA was popular with Republicans and Democrats. It passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming majorities, 377 to 28 in the House and 91 to 6 in the Senate.
What does it do? The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, requiring businesses to provide the disabled “equal access” and to make “reasonable accommodation” for employees. Tax credits and deductions are available for special equipment (talking computers, for instance) and modifying buildings to comply with the accessibility mandate.
The ADA was supposed to help more disabled people find jobs. But did it?
Strangely, no. An MIT study found that employment of disabled men ages 21 to 58 declined after the ADA went into effect. Same for women ages 21 to 39.
How could employment among the disabled have declined?
Because the law turns “protected” people into potential lawsuits. Most ADA litigation occurs when an employee is fired, so the safest way to avoid those costs is not to hire the disabled in the first place.
JULY 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Despite suffering a few setbacks along the way, the Graydon swim team has been pleased with the progress of its young swimmers and is hoping to continue that momentum at next week’s Lake League Championships.
The team finished second with 218 points in a tri-meet with Fair Lawn (252 points) and Wyckoff (156) on Monday, but several swimmers have shown improvement since the start of the season earlier this month.
The meet featured several non-traditional events, such as 100-yard races and relays with both boys and girls. Sarah Afromsky headlined Graydon’s girls lineup, winning the 13-and-older 100 freestyle in 1:06.02, while Evan Shadbolt had the highest finish for the boys, taking second in 1:02.84 in the same event.
The 200 freestyle “step-up” relay, which consisted of boys and girls participants from each age group, represented another bright spot for Graydon. The team of Morgan Hoffman (11/12-year-old age group), Merrill Klein (9/10), AJ Liguori (13/14) and Shadbolt (15-17) placed first in the event in 2:04.38.
Please visit the Graydon Pool homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon to learn about membership rates, program offerings and pool amenities. Be sure to bookmark our Graydon homepage on your computer for future special events and program offerings. Opening day for Graydon Pool was Saturday, June 6th.
2015 season memberships may now be purchased online via Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass. Be sure to refer to your online confirmation when purchase is complete for detailed information on how to obtain your photo identification badge.
Aquatic programs, including the Graydon Swim Team and instructional and recreational swim, are also available online at Community Pass, or you may review levels and print program registration forms from our Graydon homepage referenced above. Meet the Aquatic Staff and learn more on the following dates at the pool.
American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguard Training (recertification/bridging and new) is available through Ridgewood Parks and Recreation. Details/registration are also available on the Graydon Pool homepage.
The Ridgewood Public Library, 125 N Maple Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Graydon Through the Years: The Ridgewood Public Library invites you to share memories of Graydon Pool through stories and photographs. We will be hosting a program on Graydon Pool on Thursday, July 23rd at 7pm and are looking to include your memories along with historical background on the park. If you have a memory or photograph to share, please email [email protected] or call 201-670-5600 ext. 135 to talk to our Local History Librarian Sarah Kiefer. Please send stories and photographs by July 15th so that they may be included in the program.
Graydon Pool Memberships and Aquatic Programs
Please visit the Graydon Pool homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon to learn about membership rates, program offerings and pool amenities. Be sure to bookmark our Graydon homepage on your computer for future special events and program offerings. Opening day for Graydon Pool was Saturday, June 6th.
2015 season memberships may now be purchased online via Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass. Be sure to refer to your online confirmation when purchase is complete for detailed information on how to obtain your photo identification badge.
Aquatic programs, including the Graydon Swim Team and instructional and recreational swim, are also available online at Community Pass, or you may review levels and print program registration forms from our Graydon homepage referenced above. Meet the Aquatic Staff and learn more on the following dates at the pool.
American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguard Training (recertification/bridging and new) is available through Ridgewood Parks and Recreation. Details/registration are also available on the Graydon Pool homepage.
Reader says Village should offer an alligator amnesty program for residents who wish to get rid of these illegal, exotic pets?
Ridgewood NJ, Village and Wildlife officials in Bergen County believe an alligator found swimming in the Passaic River Wednesday may have been someone’s pet that was released into the wild.
The alligator discovery is now raising concerns about how the owners obtained it in the first place and where it will go.
In New Jersey alligators are classified as a “potentially dangerous species,” which means only highly trained expert should be handling them . A source at the Village Hall said , “keeping Graydon gator free is a top Village priority “.
Great Duck Derby at Graydon – Join the Famiily Fun – July 11th
Third annual, Great Ridgewood Duck Derby
Ridgewood NJ, On Saturday, July 11th, Ridgewood Parks & Recreation, in cooperation with Jacobsen Landscape Contractors of Midland Park, will be hosting the Great Ridgewood Duck Derby at Graydon Pool. Come out and embrace the national “Come Alive Outside” campaign and join us for an afternoon of fun family activity. This event will feature an array of different types of entertainment. There will also be a number of different kinds of activities throughout the day such as beach games, a sand sculpture contest, duck decorating, face painting, and ultimately concluding with an exciting rubber duck race down the Ho Ho Kus Brook.
This is a catered event pre-registration is a must and the deadline for advance sales is July 10th. The cost to take part in this fun family event is $10 per person ($20 per person non-residents) which includes one rubber duck, a SACK Picnic lunch of sandwich, beverage, chips and cookie.
The “Come Alive Outside” campaign started in 2010 by Jim Paluch in hopes of combating the sedentary, indoor lifestyle that is contributing to a multitude of adverse effects in our society. Playing outside has more benefits than just the physical, outdoor play can help children develop social skills, reduce stress, and increase their self-confidence. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 60 minutes of free play outside daily is essential for a child’s development which is why it is the “Come Alive Outside” campaign’s mission to create opportunities for children to get outside for some good healthy fun. Other events that have been hosted by the “Come Alive Outside” committee have been the award winning “Fire and Ice – A Winter Festival”, Bike, Hike and Discover and the Harvest Moon Family Hoedown, and the annual Duck Derby.
To register for the Great Ridgewood Duck Derby you can either stop by the Stable, 259 N. Maple Ave and complete registration or go online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass (Graydon Pool). The rain date for this event will be on Sunday July 12th. Please call the Parks & Recreation Department at 201-670-5560 for further information.
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Another beautiful day at Graydon
June 24,2015
Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Councilman Michael Sedon and his 17 month old son Hunter enjoyed a morning of play at Graydon Pool on Wednesday, June 24.
Village resident Anne Loving and her grandson Declan, who is 23 months old, joined in on the some of the fun.
Graydon Pool Memberships and Aquatic Programs
Please visit the Graydon Pool homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon to learn about membership rates, program offerings and pool amenities. Be sure to bookmark our Graydon homepage on your computer for future special events and program offerings. Opening day for Graydon Pool was Saturday, June 6th.
2015 season memberships may now be purchased online via Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass. Be sure to refer to your online confirmation when purchase is complete for detailed information on how to obtain your photo identification badge.
Aquatic programs, including the Graydon Swim Team and instructional and recreational swim, are also available online at Community Pass, or you may review levels and print program registration forms from our Graydon homepage referenced above. Meet the Aquatic Staff and learn more on the following dates at the pool: Saturday, June 6th, 10 am to 1 pm, and Saturday, June 20th, 10 am to 1 pm.
American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguard Training (recertification/bridging and new) is available through Ridgewood Parks and Recreation. Details/registration are also available on the Graydon Pool homepage.
Please visit the Graydon Pool homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon to learn about membership rates, program offerings and pool amenities. Be sure to bookmark our Graydon homepage on your computer for future special events and program offerings. Opening day for Graydon Pool was Saturday, June 6th.
2015 season memberships may now be purchased online via Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass. Be sure to refer to your online confirmation when purchase is complete for detailed information on how to obtain your photo identification badge.
Aquatic programs, including the Graydon Swim Team and instructional and recreational swim, are also available online at Community Pass, or you may review levels and print program registration forms from our Graydon homepage referenced above. Meet the Aquatic Staff and learn more on the following dates at the pool: Saturday, June 6th, 10 am to 1 pm, and Saturday, June 20th, 10 am to 1 pm.
American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguard Training (recertification/bridging and new) is available through Ridgewood Parks and Recreation. Details/registration are also available on the Graydon Pool homepage.
If you go to the beach, it’s probably crossed your mind at least once: Shark attacks can happen.
It’s hard not to think about it since they’re in the news every summer. The latest terrifying story is of two teens who were attacked by sharks on Sunday in two separate incidents along the same stretch of beach in North Carolina.
According to the Associated Press, a 12-year-old girl lost part of her arm and suffered a leg injury, and a 16-year-old boy lost his left arm a little more than an hour later. Even scarier, both were in waist-deep water.
The most recent attacks weren’t the only ones the area has seen. A shark bit a 13-year-old girl’s foot a few days before, about 15 miles away.
There were 52 reported shark attacks in the U.S. last year, none of which were fatal, says Andrew Nosal, Ph.D., a marine biologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. California, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas are where they happen the most often, he says.
While that number seems low when you think about everyone who hops in the ocean each year, any shark attack is one too many. Should we be worried?
Probably not, says John Carlson, Ph.D., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries shark expert. “While we can’t downplay the tragedies that occurred with these teenagers, we have to emphasize that shark attacks are an extremely rare event,” he says.
Carlson also points out that sharks don’t usually seek out humans and only attack when they confuse us for their natural prey.
