Tag: Ridgewood Schools

>It is the year 2009 and advanced technology and scientific improvements allow us MANY options for maintaining a clean pond-like pool for swimmers.

The problem seems to be that only a few unpublicized attempts have been made over the years to make the necessary water upgrades to the pond. During that period, most of the Summer badge users have simply left for “cleaner,” clearer waters, as geese and ducks overran the pool.

I do not blame them. I left too.

Now, Graydon is a financial drain on the Village because not enough badges are sold to offset its maintenance, nor to provide for the major upgrades that must happen to win even some of those members back and, hopefully, attract new ones.

But, do we really need to throw the baby out with the bathwater? Let’s admit it: Graydon is beautiful and far better to look at year round than a cement bottomed pool.

Could we, perhaps, identify ways to improve the water quality, improve the facility and remove the impediments to greater public use that currently exist? I think we can and we can do so without enormous financial debt and public expenditures.

First, let’s consider a real CEO — to be paid, or one who is voluntary to run the facility as a public/private partnership.

Second, let this person organize a team to outline the community’s goals for Graydon; review its public image within the community; explain its legal status according to state and federal mandates; and provide a report which can guide discussion and the list of initial undertakings (short and long term) to achieve those goals.

Third, communicate with all Ridgewood residents. Graydon is a community treasure. We all have a stake in it.

There never should have been an us versus them scenario created to fix Graydon. This will not serve the community nor the project well. It hasn’t so far. The Village Council needs to take some responsibility for allowing this to happen. It has weakened the process, has sidelined too many citizens who naturally feel disenfranchised, and has curtailed the likelihood of a positive outcome by being perfunctory in its goals and diffuse with regard to its outcome.

Wholesale, expensive re-designs are ahead of the public sentiment right now. Isn’t this obvious to all? So, let us do what is necessary, politically feasible and financially sound. Let’s clean up the water beyond the allowable “units per part.” This is necessary to overcome the years of bad publicity, lax effort, and rampant geese and duck droppings that drove so many away.

This should not be the “end” of Graydon as a Village icon, but should be the beginning of a full community effort to make Graydon viable and enjoyable for years to come.

Frances Edwards

>Yes Chlorine is a nasty chemical and the human body was not made to swim in it nor drink it. But there is another way..

My daughter has VERY sensitive skin and chlorine causes her face and heiney to break out to the point it causes the skin to crack and bleed. And as a pool owner and most importantly a parent this was a major problem/concern. So this year my wife had done excessive research and even gone to the reaches of spoking with Ed Begley Jr. who is not only an actor but an amazing eviromentalist, and he suggested a filtration system that utilizes almost NO chlorine. AND IMAGINE THIS…IT COST LESS THAN WHAT I WOULD SPEND ON CHLORINE FOR THE SEASON! It utilized cooper and natural minerals to maintain the proper water balance. It basically fills your pool with the same quality water of that as you would buy by the gallon at Whole Foods. Furthermore, this is the first summer that my daughter’s cheeks have not broken out to the point it bleeds. So please don’t be hung up on the Chlorine and chemical issue, as there are PLENTY of natural, cost effective and productive alternatives that really do work.

In regards to fecal matter in the water, no matter how you can justify that, it is straight up NOT GOOD for business in any way, shape or form. Sorry.
As for which side of the debate I stand; this is coming from a guy who spent summers swimming in lakes up in the Poconos and has no problem swimming in Graydon,and thus I can say I sincerely sit on the fence. However, I feel that safety should be the first issue here. As much as I feel the Graydon lifeguards do a GREAT job their Herculean efforts are greatly restricted by the fact that the body of water being watched over is not clear enough to see the bottom. I’m not saying that a clear pool will prevent a loss of life but I will go as far to say that it will make it easier for the good men and woman that are out there looking to keep that from happening much, much easier.

In no disrespect or malice, it just riddles me to see how ignorance or lack of knowledge of the facts is what seems to be controlling this debate. As for the aesthetics; let’s again look to the facts. The Village of Ridgewood is a beautiful place to live, it is well kept. I would hate to think that the powers that be would allow an eyesore to be put in the place of the current Graydon “pool”. Granted, those in power are politicians and God knows they have made some stupid moves as of late, but they live here too and don’t want to look at a “Theme Park” right next door to Village Hall and most importantly in their home town.
In closing, it is well understood that change can no doubt be a doubled edged sword, but when the sword is yielded by the hand of knowledge and fairness, it is safe to say that shall only be swung in the direction for positive change.

Respectfully,

Craig S. Hueneke

>Program continues in honor of co-founder
Friday, August 14, 2009
Last updated: Friday August 14, 2009, 4:55 PM
The Ridgewood News
STAFF WRITER

https://www.northjersey.com/recreation/news/Program_continues_in_honor_of_co-founder_.html

The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood’s Citizens for Swimming initiative continued this year in honor of its co-founder, a Ridgewood resident who passed away in April.

and his wife, Sue, helped to establish the program at Graydon Pool more than 30 years ago. The Handleys worked with other Unitarian Society members to establish the Community Association with a Ministry for People Youth Development Program (CAMP-YDP). CAMP-YDP is a combined after-school program and summer camp for children from the north side of Paterson.

The summer camp portion, which also includes the “Citizens for Swimming” program, raises money to buy Graydon Pool guest badges for the children every August. In the past, it ran three days a week for four weeks and provided the kids with swimming lessons.

The tradition continued with a successful 2009 season kickoff on Aug. 4. This past Wednesday afternoon, despite inclement weather, the children, who are between the ages of 2 1/2 and 13, still made it out to Graydon for a quick dip.

“We just missed Mr. Handley’s presence, but we know that he was there in spirit on the first day,” said CAMP-YDP Director Maria Benavides. “We are going to make him proud and we will raise this ‘baby.’ So it’s up to us to continue that and do it to the best of his wishes.”

CAMP-YDP Assistant Director Terrence Pitts recalled participating in the program as a child. He said the experience helped to expose him “to the various different cultures that are outside of the City of Paterson.” Pitts has been assisting the program for more than nine years.

“I choose to work with the kids of the camp because I love each and everyone of them,” said Pitts, a Paterson resident. “Working with these children is my life’s work and I will be here with the camp in the future.”

Eileen Mohan and Sue Handley are co-chairs of this year’s program. The community initiative has raised enough money to bring the children to the village daily for the next two weeks. Mohan praised the Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Department for its continuing cooperation with the program. Since its inception, the rate for the Graydon visitor passes hasn’t gone up; the going rate is $3 for each Paterson child.

“It’s a valid program and it does a lot of good for the kids,” said Mohan, who is also a CAMP-YDP board member. “And the village has done a lot. There’s a long history of ties between the village and Paterson. I think most village residents don’t realize. As a resident of Ridgewood, I think everyone should know how good the village [really] is.”

Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Nancy Bigos said Tuesday that the reduced Graydon pass fees exemplify the village’s realization of “the significance and the beauty of the program.” Bigos said the department is vying to keep the long-standing Ridgewood tradition alive.

“I think the program is a legacy in the goodness of mankind,” Bigos said. “The committee and the village are working together to provide this opportunity to learn to swim and enjoy Graydon for the young residents of Paterson.”

For more than five years, the Ridgewood YMCA has provided free swimming lessons to the children. The Parks Department worked with the “Y” to bring in professional swim instructors, Bigos said. Ridgewood YMCA Aquatics Director Susan Ludzki said the organization chose to participate because it wanted to “provide an opportunity that in general they [the Paterson children] couldn’t afford.” Ludzki said four instructors are at Graydon every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to offer half hour lessons.

“We divide the kids into groups according to their level,” Ludzki said. “[And] we have seen that returning campers have made great progress.”

“That [the swimming instruction] has been an added plus,” said Benavides. “That’s so very important, because you are giving an opportunity to children who don’t know how to swim the chance to learn how. We are grateful for that gift.”

Benavides said CAMP-YDP kids and personnel are grateful for the opportunity to visit the village’s municipal pool year in and year out.

“[Because we are coming from Paterson], our resources are rather limited,” Benavides said. “So going to Graydon is a breath of fresh air. It can’t be replaced, no matter where you go. There is never going to be another Graydon Pool.”

E-mail: [email protected]

https://www.northjersey.com/recreation/news/Program_continues_in_honor_of_co-founder_.html

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The Village of Ridgewood is seeking volunteers to serve on its Risk Management Committee. It meets quarterly to review insurance matters, and implement strategies to meet Village needs. This Committee’s analysis and recommendations has been very beneficial to the Village.

Candidates should be experienced in general liability, workers compensation, and employee benefits. Resumes should be submitted by September 15, 2009 to the Treasurer’s Office, Finance Department, Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450. For further information, please call Steve Sanzari at 201/670-5500 x224.

>The topic was the proposed upgrade/renovation of a baseball field on Vets, not Air Horns on Maple. It isn’t being “sneaked through during summer” when no one is around. The proposed renovations of the BOE athletic facilities calls for the construction of a 400 meter track at BF. The construction of the track will eliminate the “full size” baseball diamond at BF that is currently used by the RHS Baseball program as well as other youth baseball teams. The Fields and Rec Master Plan calls for the baseball diamond at Lower Hawes to be renovated and upgraded to make up for the loss of the field at BF.

Years ago the RHS Varsity Baseball team played its home games at Vets. For some reason that changed. A group of former RHS Baseball players would like to see the RHS and youth teams return to Vets instead of moving to Lower Hawes. (Lower Hawes will still be renovated as the loss of the diamond at BF must be replaced.) The HS Administration has expressed strong interest in locating as many teams “on campus” as possible to help foster school spirit and lessen the wear and tear on elementary and middle school facilities and playing at Vets would fit with that goal.

The proposal for Vets was first discussed many months ago. It was first presented to some concerned individuals and then to some of the sports groups that would benefit or be affected. Subsequent to that it was brought to the sports council as an idea for their feedback. The next logical step would be for the “Village Departments” to look at the plans to see if; 1) they are legal in regards to flood plain, etc… and 2) would the improvements negatively impact any other activities at Vets. Only after that is done can the decision be made to move forward or not.

The inference in the orginal post is that somehow this is some big bad project. It isn’t. It is simply a renovation and upgrade of the existing field that has been there for decades. The proposed “netting” is simply bringing the field up to current standards and will be much less intrusive visually then an old rusting backstop. The outfield fence and warning track are problematic for other sports (Youth Football & Soccer) that use Vets and probably will not be included in the final plans but it doesn’t hurt to put the entire project out there so people can see what the final intent is.

The reference to the plan as “a scheme that has neither been reviewed, nor approved by the BOE” is very misleading. Veterans Field is owned by the Village of Ridgewood, why would the BOE be involved in reviewing or approving any improvement to a Village Field? And with the history the BOE has in not getting anything of substance done properly if you were the person working on getting the plan implemented why would you want them involved?

>Dear Suzanne Kelly and Marcia Ringel,

Yours,
Joyce Rheuban