Franklin Lakes December 15, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Municipal building now has new entrance by Frank J. McMahon The barrier- free entrance to the Franklin Lakes Municipal Building on DeKorte Drive was opened to the public last week, although some minor work remains to be done on the project, such as adding the guard rails between the columns on the left side and front of the patio landing. The project involved the raising of the patio landing up to the level of the first floor and the construction of a new concrete walkway ramp leading to the right side of the patio entrance so people with wheelchairs may enter the building without encountering any steps. Part of the concrete walkway leading to the front of the patio landing has been replaced, and new steps have been added for those who do not require a barrier-free entrance. The flagpole remains at its previous location near the sidewalk in front of the building with a concrete walkway on either side of it. The renovation of the entrance to the municipal building was funded by transferring community development grant monies from a barrier-free restroom project to this barrier-free access project. The Bergen County Office of Community Development had awarded two grants to the borough for barrier free improvements. One was for $32,000 in connection with the construction of a proposed restroom facility for the municipal field area behind the municipal building. The second was for $118,820 for the entrance improvements at the municipal building and an ADA-compliant path into the recreation building. A resolution passed by the council last summer authorized the transfer the $32,000 grant for the restroom to the municipal building and recreation center building project. The restroom project was postponed. The transfer resulted in a total of $150,320 that became available for the municipal building and recreation center. At the time, Borough Engineer Kevin Boswell advised that the only cost to the borough for the municipal building and recreation center project would be $18,000 for professional services. The municipal building facelift will solve what Mayor Maura DeNicola described as significant problems with the front of the municipal building, where the slate was deteriorating. That slate has now been replaced with the ADA-compliant concrete entranceway. Originally, the proposed renovation included an entrance area extending the full width of the front entrance to the building with three walkways to the sidewalk in front of the building. One walkway was to extend straight forward to the flagpole, which would be surrounded by a rectangular area. Two other walkways were to extend diagonally to the left and the right leading to the sidewalk. The council was split on that plan, with some council members concerned about the aesthetics of the three walkway plan. Several revisions were subsequently made, and the council ultimately agreed on the current plan which was drawn up by Boswell Engineering. Spreading cheer Tuxedo Park School student volunteers recently made 44 pies and decorated pie boxes to donate to local organizations. More than half the pies were donated to Grandparents as Parents, a health and human service agency in Paterson, to distribute to grandparents in the area who are raising their grandchildren. The rest of the pies were donated to the Suffern Soup Kitchen so families in need could enjoy a home baked pie. At left: Franklin Lakes resident Lindsay Romano, a fifth grader at Tuxedo Park School, makes apple pies to donate to Grandparents as Parents in Paterson. Just a Click Away! www.villadom.com Thousands r of Readers Ove se and Above Tho r u Who Receive O Paper in the Mail! Visit Our Website: Direct Links to Advertisers’ Websites! Read Our Other Editions Too! Current & Past!