As kids and families prepare to pour into amusement parks nationwide, even the most eager thrill-seeker has to wonder: How do you know you’re safe?
For the most part, you can’t — and the parks won’t tell us.
The American amusement parks that are teeming with towering, terrifying rides are immune to federal investigation — and the industry has largely failed to be transparent about its potential problems — even while touting its own safety record summer after summer.
Amusement parks report more than 1,000 injuries every year, and barely a summer goes by without a ride-related death or maiming making headlines.
Ridgewood NJ , in April Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld responded to an email voicing safety concerns over the facility.
Neighbors say that the business Healthbarn USA Inc. was put before the safety of the residents of the community i.e. painted crosswalks as promised and signage for parking on one side of the street is astounding. Yet amazingly all of the work was done by the town for this business’s 4/1 start date.
The Village has now added lighting in a park that closes at dusk is another issue along with the fact the Ridgewood Water has been there 3 days in a row working to get the business Heathbarn USA a sprinkler for her garden. A garden that is on Green acres property but not for public use to my understanding.
Residents wonder how classes are approved to go until 9:00 when Ridgewood parks close at dusk. I understand that the lights were in the original plan 6 or so years ago, but the fact that they were never needed and are coming at this time seems more than coincidental.
Residents questions remained unanswered ,what is the current pricing for the lights ? Who paid for the village water to be tapped into for the business’s personal needs of water for her private garden? and who will be paying that water bill? Will this business follow water restrictions when in effect?
Soccer and baseball have started we are already seeing the effect of this large business be given 12 parking spots. This is causing Ridgewood tax payers to have no choice but to park on the street since the lot is now being taken away. There are no designated spots for Healthbarn, therefore these private clients are and will continue to utilize the entire parking lot. Residents of Ridgewood and the teams they are hosting for sports are being pushed into the street.
What is the effect of this commotion with 25 plus kids in a small home and 25 plus cars an hour will do to the natural habitat green acres is suppose to protect. Will not the lights deter the natural habitat that the owls maintain there at dusk.
Finally residents are demanding to know what is the percentage of Ridgewood children paying to attend this business? and again how is it a benefit to our town? Since the Village stated over and over at meetings “this would be a tremendous benefit to Ridgewood” Tax payers deserve an explanation of why this is a good thing?
Many neighbors actually feel as it is an imposition and very destructive to the neighborhood and to the park itself. The $3700.00 rent that this business is paying ( as did a family who were the tenants before paid ) does not seem like a fair trade off for all that is being taken away from the community and neighborhood.
Dear All,
I would like to clarify, address and correct the details in some of the recent correspondences regarding the Health Barn at Habernickel Park.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM: Let me start with the claim that a sprinkler system has been installed by the Village for the use of the Health Barn. This is not true. No sprinkler system has been or will be installed. Health Barn will be paying for any water that it uses. We have their usage metered separately. They will also be required to follow any watering restrictions that Ridgewood Water implements.
SUMMER SCHOOL BUSING: Ms. Rubin mentions that Health Barn is advertising on their website that they will be providing busing for children in the summer day camp program. We cannot find any reference to this on Health Barn’s website at all norwill this be occurring. Please provide the back-up for this claim.
RIDGEWOOD ATTANDANCE IN THE PROGRAMS: As far as the details surrounding the residences of the children in Health Barn’s classes, Ms. Antine is required by the lease to provide quarterly reporting that will be reviewed by Parks and Rec. This report is not due until June 30, 2016. I can provide some recent experiences with regard to where the children live that frequent her classes. Thursday’s seedlings class consisted of 12 children, all of whom were Ridgewood residents. Yesterday, there was a seedlings class of 6 young children – they were all from Ridgewood from the Hillcrest neighborhood. Also yesterday I observed an older children’s class of about 8 children none of whom were Ridgewood residents. As of yesterday morning, the enrollment for next week’s school break camp has 15 children, 9 of whom are Ridgewood residents.
As a reminder, by Green Acres rules, this is a park that is open to all, not just Ridgewood residents.
LIGHTING: Another issue mentioned was the lighting. Ms. Vellis is correct that the downward facing lights were in the original plans for Habernickel. They are in fact a safety feature that should be there regardless of Health Barn. As with other Village properties, these lights will be on from dusk to dawn.
HOURS OF OPERATION: The Gate House hours at Habernickel are in line with other Village buildings particularly the Stable; this is distinct from park hours. Ms Antine’s latest class ends at 9:00PM and then cleanup is required. The Stable, as an example, is open until 11PM.
OWLS:
We appreciate and celebrate owls in our parks. We cannot move their nests nor do we want to. We don’t see any issue with the various park activities at Habernickel and the well-being of the owl.
OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY:
As far as the changes regarding no parking signs, striping, etc. The no parking signs have been installed on the south side of Hillcrest. Striping cannot be done until the weather warms up – as soon as that occurs, our Signal Department will stripe.
In Closing:
In speaking with Stacy, she has always been steadfast in her resolve to be a good neighbor and to listen to the neighbors around her. In that spirit of cooperation, she would like to invite the neighbors to the Gate House so that you can see firsthand the significant improvements to the interior as well as discuss the programs and any other questions you may have. Please let Janet and myself know if this is of interest to you and we can make this offer to others in the neighborhood….and also let me know if you have any other questions.
Best, Roberta
Best regards,
Roberta
Roberta Sonenfeld Village Manager 201-670-5500, ext. 203
Ridgewood NJ, April is National Safe Digging Month and Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest utility, reminds customers, contractors and excavators to call 811 to request a mark-out before digging to avoid hitting underground pipelines, conduits, wires and cables. The service is free, and absolutely critical to avoiding injuries and disruptions to vital utility services.
Nationwide, every six minutes, someone damages an underground utility line when digging without first calling 811, according to the Common Ground Alliance, the national association that promotes safe digging practices. In 2015, PSE&G responded to more than 360,000 utility mark-out requests called into the New Jersey 811 call center. Despite the high number of mark-out requests, almost 30 percent of damages to PSE&G facilities were the result of people digging without first calling 811.
PSE&G has more than 8,200 circuit miles of underground electric lines, and about 35,000 miles of buried natural gas distribution lines. Striking an underground electric or natural gas pipe can cause serious injury and service interruptions, resulting in repair costs and fines. Every digging project, even a small project like planting a tree or building a deck with hand tools, requires a call to 811.
When you call 811, you are automatically connected to the New Jersey one-call center, which collects information about your digging project. The one-call center then provides the information to the utility companies, who send representatives to mark the locations of underground lines in the immediate vicinity of the planned work location with flags, paint or both. Once lines have been properly marked and your request becomes valid, you are free to carefully dig around the marked areas.
In New Jersey, the marks are valid for 45 business days. The call must be made whether you are hiring a professional or planning to do the job yourself.
Important information to consider:
Call 811 at least three full business days before each job to have underground pipes, wires and equipment located. Utility workers will respond and place markers where utility lines are buried, free of charge.
If you hired a contractor, confirm that a call to 811 has been made. Do not allow work to begin if the lines are not marked.
Property owners must maintain and respect the marks. Always hand dig within two feet of marked lines.
Various colors are used when marking lines. To learn what each color represents and for more information go to www.pseg.com/call811.
If you accidentally damage gas piping or smell gas when excavating, call 911 immediately from a safe area. Call before you dig is more than a good idea — it’s the law.
Ridgewood NJ,Representatives for the Ridgewood school District, under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Fisbein, participated in a security assessment training meeting along with representatives from the Ridgewood Police and Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
Agent William J. Stallone of BCPO along with Detective Captain Lyons and Chief Ward discussed security assessments and risk mitigation process updates as part of our ongoing partnership towards enhanced school safety. Agent Stallone is the county Risk Mitigation Planner in conjunction with the NJ Department of Homeland Security. He has been working closely with our department as part of the community wide critical infrastructure threat and vulnerability assessments initiated by our department.
The Ridgewood Police would like to thank Dr. Fishbein, his team and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office for their continued commitment and assistance in our efforts to secure our schools and community.
Ridgewood Nj, the Ridgewood Police would like to thank everyone for their cooperation and efforts towards another safe Halloween. Our officers distributed over 3200 glow sticks and tubes. We were pleased to observe that the vast majority of trick or treaters were properly illuminated and practicing properly pedestrian safety.
Clinton Avenue in Ridgewood connects West Ridgewood and Godwin avenues near Ridge Elementary School. There are no sidewalks along Clinton; children walking to and from school must walk in the street. Because of that, the street is closed to vehicular traffic between 8 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. on school days.Clinton Avenue is scheduled to be resurfaced within the coming months. In conjunction with that project, police and the municipal engineer are recommending that sidewalks be installed on both sides of the street.Despite this recommendation, the Ridgewood Village Council has not authorized the installation of sidewalks on Clinton Avenue. Reportedly, this decision was reached after consultation with the 16 Clinton Avenue property owners, none of whom want sidewalks. No explanation was publicly offered as to why property owners feel that way.So, Clinton will remain closed to traffic before, during and after school hours when school is in session, and dozens of children will continue walking in the middle of that street.
As evidenced by the recent tragic incident in nearby Hawthorne (where an individual allegedly driving under the influence of an inhalant struck and killed an adult pedestrian walking on a street that was officially closed to traffic), a driver could disregard posted “Do Not Enter” signs and barrel down Clinton Avenue at the wrong time.
