JULY 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Similar stories for two King’s Ponds
To the Editor:
What do the King’s Pond in Ridgewood and the King’s Pond in Franklin Lakes have in common? Both have been allowed to fall into disrepair due to years of inaction by both municipalities. The administrations in both towns have used the “kick the can down the road” approach to the maintenance of these ponds by refusing to plan and budget for the necessary repairs and restorations during their tenure. The result at this point is that both ponds are approaching swamp status.
The Franklin Lakes pond, which has never been dredged, has fallen into serious disrepair with low water levels, decaying vegetation and noticeable smell. Its pond is inaccessible due to overgrowth of foliage on its shoreline.
Similarly, the pond in Ridgewood has fallen in disrepair. It was last dredged in October 1999. Today, the water level in the center of the pond is five inches deep with vegetation protruding its surface. Access to the entire length of the pond existed in 2007. Today, the entire shoreline is overgrown thus denying access for fishing and viewing.
At least Franklin Lakes has finally taken action to resolve years of neglect for its King’s Pond by budgeting to dredge and restore the pond to its intended use.
To date, Ridgewood has done nothing to restore its King’s Pond to be worthy of its Wildscape status. After years of bringing this blight to the attention of past as well as the current administration, no plan or budget has been introduced to resolve this deterioration. Ridgewood’s lack of concern for these natural resources is irresponsible.
Both communities should be ashamed for allowing their inaction to promote this preventable deterioration.
George W. Shabet
Ridgewood
https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-similar-stories-for-two-different-king-s-ponds-1.1375825
