The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, Several readers of The Ridgewood Blog reported observing Ridgewood Deputy Mayor Pamela Perron in quite an agitated state during portions of the Sunday, August 6 “Destination Ridgewood” events.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood’s 2021 “Pride Celebration” was held in Van Neste Memorial Park on Saturday, June 5. Many local speakers, performers, allies, friends, families, and neighbors participated/attended.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, on May 31, 2021, the weather cleared and American Legion Post 53 conducted Memorial Day Services at Van Neste Memorial Park, Ridgewood NJ honoring those service men and women who made ultimate sacrifice in the service of our nations armed forces. The service was open to the public.
Continue reading 2021 MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE VAN NESTE MEMORIAL PARK RIDGEWOOD
photos by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Did the pre-planned and deliberate disruption of a peaceful “Stop Asian Hate” rally (which was organized by the Ridgewood Chinese American Association) in and of itself constitute a bias crime? In our opinion it did, and as such should be fully investigated by the State of NJ Attorney General’s Office.
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Ridgewood NJ, readers are reporting a dangerous situation developing in Van Neste Memorial Park in the central business district in Ridgewood . A tree is in a serious need of attention and creating a dangerous condition by snapping at base where it is rotten.
file photo by Boyd Loving
What school of management did this woman go to?
August 24,2016
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Ridgewood NJ, In an undated e-mail obtained via a recent Open Public Records Act request, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld refers to taxpayers’ comments about the proposed Van Neste Memorial Park revitalization project as being “ridiculous” and “malicious.” The e-mail was sent by Sonenfeld to all members of the post July 1 Village Council.
The genesis of Sonenfeld’s bizarre, inappropriate, and offensive remarks can be traced to comments made during the Council’s August 3 Work Session by taxpayers Saurabh Dani and Jaqueline Hone, who both questioned a request by Sonenfeld for Council members to make an overnight (literally) decision with respect to applying for a Bergen County Open Space Grant in connection with the proposed Van Neste project in advance of any public hearing about the initiative.
In questioning the planned project at Van Neste and the need for an immediate decision from the Council regarding a grant application, Mr. Dani and Ms. Hone both cited the way in which “after the fact” public hearings were held during the Fall of 2015 in connection with Schedler Field and Healthbarn USA initiatives. In fact, in the case of Schedler, the grantor was falsely advised that a public hearing had been held, when in reality it had not.
The full text of Ms. Sonenfeld’s e-mail follows:
I would like each of you to get back to me individually as to whether you agree with submitting the attached intent. It is due by 4:00 tomorrow. A Council resolution is not needed to submit the Intent to Apply. A Council resolution will be needed once we submit the formal grant application and after we hold a public meeting on the subject. That submission is due in mid-October.
Additionally I would remind you that two residents referred to this grant process as unethical and/or fishy* I would expect that once you are behind this grant that you would publicly end such ridiculous and malicious speculation.
Thanks, Roberta
Best regards,
Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
Was walking around VN a couple weeks ago, and by that bench at the SE corner of the park there were no less than three empty fifths of Majorska, empty cigarette packs, and a couple broken beer bottles. Whoever made that mess had plenty of time to do it. No cops to roust them, and nobody to clean up after.
You would think that simply cleaning the park would be a step in the right direction, but instead we have $ to enrich some contractor by pulling all the bricks and pouring concrete.
But by all means, blame the teachers for your high taxes.
More like lighting up the place so there can be “events” every night as Vagianos has repeatedly requested. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves if this is quite the moment in environmental history to be lighting every possible corner and square of the town? Besides the absurd expense for installation and maintenance, and reducing our ability to see the stars and feel calm at night, increased electrical usage raises rates and can lead to brownouts and blackouts and even potential rationing. We’re just screwing ourselves left and right.
file photo by Boyd Loving
Fixing things that need fixing is a great idea. This park however looks beautiful. Paver bricks might have a limited life span, but based on the appearance of these bricks they still have plenty of life. Why change them out for ugly concrete “decorative” paver blocks? How ridiculous.
Fix the things that need fixing. Don’t waste taxpayer money on demolishing perfectly nice things to make something else. So ridiculous. This is not like a living room that you feel like redecorating. This is a park with many commemorative markers. The fact that YOU don’t know any of these people commemorated on them does not make them meaningless.
Mayor & Council:
I am still not clear as to where the hundreds of commemorative bricks will be moved to following the proposed “revival” of Van Neste Memorial Park.
If, as the Village Manager stated on August 3, “all of the the existing brick pavers will be removed and replaced with decorative concrete sidewalks,” what area will be left to install the displaced commemorative bricks without having to disturb grass or shrubbery?
The walking paths within the park currently appear to be in excellent shape. Therefore, I question the need to spend money (grant money still comes from taxes) to fix something that is not broken, and displace history in the process.
Regards,
Boyd A. Loving
342 South Irving Street
