Waldwick March 21, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 11 The Waldwick Council last week gave its formal approval to the mid-block crosswalk on Walter Hammond Place. The move, which was previously suggested by former mayor Frank McKenna, will formalize a de facto street crossing between the Stop & Shop shopping center and the Waldwick Post Office. The crosswalk will be located on Walter Hammond Place, 225 feet north of the northern curb line of Wyckoff Avenue and will extend to a point 10 feet north. According to Ordinance 4-12, the addition of the crosswalk represents “an effort to improve pedestrian safety where frequent crossings occur. Specifically, it has been determined that a large number of pedestrians cross Walter Hammond Place between commercial buildings.” Parking is already prohibited on both sides of the Mid-block crosswalk gets green light from council road. Walter Hammond Place runs between the shopping center and the post office. The businesses do not front Walter Hammond Place, and people do not walk up the block to the corner of Wyckoff Avenue in order to cross from one place to the other. The council has decided to legitimize the mid-block pathway, which is used by many pedestrians who are seeking a short route from one business to another. In a previous interview, Waldwick Traffic Safety Officer Ed Weber explained that, until recently, it was difficult to obtain approvals for mid-block crosswalks. However, New Jersey recently streamlined the operation, making it easier to gain approvals. Officer Weber cautioned pedestrians in that area to remember that it takes motorists time to stop, and urged those on foot to make sure drivers can see them. McKenna recently told Villadom TIMES that, in his opinion, crossing at the currently prescribed crosswalk is less safe than crossing mid-block, because pedestrians must walk past multiple busy driveways to reach the existing crosswalk. He said that, in mountainous countries, people follow the trails taken by the goats and have built roads based on the goat trails. He said that, like a goat trail, Waldwick’s mid-block crossing is the easiest and most expeditious way to get from the supermarket to the post office and vice versa. He said the crossing should be formalized and made as safe as possible. With the approval of Ordinance 4-12, the council also eliminated a single on-street handicapped parking space located in front of 32 Harrison Avenue. A borough official noted that the person who used the space no longer resides at that address. Artist Herrat Sommerhoff creates bold works through the surprising use of ordinary objects in unusual ways. Her work is being featured at a Waldwick Public Library exhibit that will be open now through April 30. Celebrating items most people would consider trash, the River Vale resident fashions milk cartons, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, bottle caps, plastic foam packaging material, and tennis balls into colorful compositions. Herrat Sommerhoff creates art from ordinary objects The explosion of brightly painted and textured surfaces arranged in a variety of grids and patterns momentarily disguises the origin of many of the materials on display. Sommerhoff was born in Dessau, Germany (known for the “Bauhaus” Art School) and educated in Bremen, Germany. In the United States, she attended the Art Students League in New York, and studied fine arts at Bergen Community College and at the Art Center of Arrest (continued from page 9) Duffy is a resident of White Pond Road. He is reportedly divorced and is currently unemployed. He was arraigned on March 9 and released on his own recognizance. Waldwick Detective Sergeant Doug Moore was the primary investigator assigned to this case. Assistance was provided by Computer Crimes Task Force personnel from the Bergen County Police Department and the Oradell Police Department. Law enforcement officials noted that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Northern New Jersey. She has exhibited her two- and three-dimensional art in museums, galleries, libraries, and corporate spaces in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and presented her outdoor sculpture in Colorado. Her last exhibit in Europe took place at the Ministry of the Environment in Berlin, Germany. Sommerhoff lectures and conducts workshops at art centers, schools, and outdoor festivals. She is a member of the National Association of Women Artists and of Salute to Women in the Arts. She is also a trustee of the Art Center of Northern New Jersey. The library is located at 19 East Prospect Street in Waldwick. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 to 9, and Friday and Saturday from 10 to 5. For additional information, call the Waldwick Public Library at (201) 652-5104 or visit the artist’s website at www.herratsommerhoff.com.