Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES II, III & IV • December 7, 2011 The Christmastime display of Walt Disney characters has been a fixture on the Ridgewood Water Company pumping station property on Godwin Avenue in Midland Park since the 1950s, attracting thousands of young and old alike to the borough. While the display may be familiar to many area residents, citizens may not be aware that the figures were originally created by the late Carl Kemm Loven, a famed architect who resided in Glen Rock. Loven received special approval from Walt Disney Studios to produce the wooden cartoon characters from a number of Disney’s full-length films along with Santa Claus and other traditional holiday figures. Holiday tradition began with famed architect The architect made the 150-piece display over time, exhibited his collection on the lawn of his Rock Road home every Christmas since 1938. Banned by Glen Rock officials in 1953 because of the traffic and crowd problems it created, the display was discontinued and some of the figures were sold. Years later, members of the Midland Park Volunteer Fire Department discovered some of the pieces in a local antiques shop and purchased them at a nominal cost. Firemen John Foley and Werner Schneider and Schneider’s wife Marjorie undertook the task of replacing and restoring the figures, displaying them at the Water Company property for the first time in 1967. (The firefighters used to conduct their annual Christmas tree sale on the adjacent vacant lot at the corner of Godwin Avenue and Witte Drive, now Jacobsen Landscape and Design’s office.) When the Loven family saw that the figures had found a permanent home in Midland Park, they gave the firefighters the rest of the pieces, which they had originally decided to keep for themselves. The firemen added a manger scene and a wishing well and installed lighting and piped in holiday music. When the Schneiders moved from town in 1974, interest in maintaining the display waned and the firemen considered selling it. Enter the Midland Park Chamber of Commerce and its then president, Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan, who decided to coordinate a restoration effort as a community project and donate the display to the town. The Chamber, the Lions Club, the Senior Group, Inc. and the American Legion provided funds and manpower, and residents were asked to adopt a figure and restore it. The display went up again for the 1980 season, and has been in place ever since, with O’Hagan, now the mayor-elect, still coordinating the project and the Cub Scouts erecting and dismantling it every year. The Queen of Hearts, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, the Three Little Pigs have found a loving home in Midland Park. O’Hagan points out that each scene is framed by the trees behind it, with Alice in Wonderland closest to Paterson Avenue and Peter Pan at the end nearest to Jacobsen’s property. “Each year, the pieces get arranged by the Cub Scouts and their parents in a random order within a theme,” O’Hagan said.”Some years, the decorations are spread out and the effect seems to get lost. This year…the display looks terrific. I ordered more light bulbs and spot light holders.” He added, “This year marks Janet and my 34th year and we are looking to hand off the responsibilities to someone else. We’ll still help as much as we can, but it is now getting to be harder work on us. Perhaps that someone can enhance the display and make it even better and bigger. I always envisioned it to be a community endeavor. The Cub Scouts are the work force for the set up, the Boy Scouts hang the kissing balls throughout the town on the same day while the Girl Scouts attend to the ribbons and bows. Now we need painters and wood workers to repair the characters as well as to add new ones. “The joy and memories I’ve collected over the years makes the whole project more than worthwhile. A compliment from a youngster or a parent who grew up with the display and now attending with his son to share in the Christmas spirit can’t be measured in dollars. Writers would have a hard time expressing the good feelings in a short story compared to listening and watching children and adults get excited in seeing a favorite character. Who needs the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? I’ve got the Midland Park Christmas Display!” This article includes information from “Midland Park: The First Century of An American Community.” Athletic policy (continued from page 14) Ray and Maureen Borzone had sought the board’s help in getting the NJSIAA ban changed on behalf of their son, Zak, a ninth grader who is homeschooled. He expects to play basketball at Midland Park High School this winter and would have played football if the policy had been changed sooner.