photos courtesy of Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen joined Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, Bergen County Commissioner Germaine M. Ortiz , Bergen County Commissioner Mary Amoroso , Bergen County Commissioner Tom Sullivan , Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Silna Zur, Bergen County Commissioner Ramon M. Hache, Bergen County Commissioner Steve Tanelli and Congressman Josh Gotteimer in the rededication and the reopening of Wild Duck Pond in Saddle River County Park in Ridgewood!
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Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said ,” We are glad to finally welcome the ducks back to the Wild Duck Pond in Saddle River County Park! For generations, the Wild Duck Pond in Ridgewood has served as the northern entrance of Saddle River County Park and a four-season refuge for both passive and active recreation. I am excited that today we celebrated the completion of this gem’s ecological restoration project which has returned the facility to that of its glory days. Following recommendations from the 2019 Bergen County Parks Master Plan, this $1.7 million project, funded through the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund and NJDEP’s Green Acres Program, has restored ecological functions of the pond, saw the replacement of a degrading pond liner, and the installation of three new fountains and aerators that will help with water circulation and maintain a healthy level of oxygen in the pond to support wildlife and reduce and manage algae growth.Not to mention each fountain is now equipped with multi-colored LED lighting which makes the pond as spectacular at night than in the daytime! Today’s celebration is yet another example of the joint commitment made by my administration in partnership with my colleagues on the Board of Commissioners to preserve open space, protect our environment, and enhance our park system for passive and active enthusiasts alike. Another great day for Bergen County! ”
Do they also take credit for allowing the pond to deteriorate into an ugly and foul-smelling disgrace for YEARS prior to the upgrade? Just another example of the horrible services provided by Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. Now Jim, any plans to fix the damn Bergen County road system? Like the pond, it is a disgrace.
Took a looooooong time to get this done.
What happen to the good old days when the Pond was beautiful
Next on the list for Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco is the takeover of Ridgewood Northwest Central Dispatch.
The party line is that nesting turtles caused the long delay. Heavy equipment could not be used because of the turtles, so hand digging what was the method deployed throughout most of the project.
Thank you, Susan, for staying on top of this forever and getting it done. Looks great.
Yea right.
Just another excuse for the union slobs to milk the deal…
Lots of ot and drag the project out.
Can’t say it looks much better, certainly not a million dollars better.
I would disagree and I work in that field. I am shocked the firm they hired did the amount of work they did for only $1 million. Did you look at what the environmental planning and restoration plan actually entailed? I really wasn’t expecting a good outcome and it turned out MUCH better than I was expecting. And I’ve been here for decades so I have a point of comparison. I am just hoping the liner doesn’t fail again and the water keeps moving through. Anoxia is not pretty.
Actually it does look a million dollars better. Have you seen before and after?
This is the first thing seen when heading west into Ridgewood on Ridgewood Avenue. It sets a tone.
Great the fountains work. Where is the beautiful landscaping. Compared to other north Jersey parks this still looks ugly and unkept. Half ass works
To the experts above… if this is as good as it gets for $1mill (and it will have to be done again in 10 years) then the money would have been better spent filling it in, seeding it and calling it a day.
The lights are tacky, the dirt surrounding the pond is still gross and the whole park just looks dirty.
Time to weigh in at the one-year mark: The grasses and other plantings are growing in very nicely and will only get better with time. I watched the new liner being carefully installed a year ago and it appears to be doing its job now. Last week the pond survived the torrential rains and flooding that took out the high school athletic field a few blocks away. The pond looks good.