Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • September 5, 2012
Upper Saddle River
Upper Saddle River residents are encouraged to attend the Sept. 6 borough council meeting at which conceptual designs for additional fields at Lions Park will be presented. The session is scheduled for 8 p.m. “Lions Park continues to be improved as far as drainage concerns,” Mayor Joanne Minichetti explained, responding to a question about recent projects at that property. “The park was built in the 1970s as recreational sports programs grew. The entire park is located within a flood zone and does flood from the adjacent Saddle River when we get a bad storm, such as last year’s flash flood and Hurricane Irene. Knowing that flooding is always a possibility, we’ve chosen to make improvements that will work but are impervious to destruction during a severe storm.” Due to the proximity of the river and the park’s location in the flood zone, the Department of Environmental Protection limits what the borough can do in that area. However, Mayor Minichetti reported that, since the beginning of the year, a trench leading water from the back of the north fields to the river has been restored. In addition, the drainage system, including slit drains, was cleaned at no cost during a Jetvac truck demonstration. “Some sports equipment had been blocking the drainage, lodged deep inside a drain from the hurricane,” Minichetti said. “Keeping the drains cleared will be an ongoing routine process. Permits to the DEP have been applied for to allow the borough to continue the gabion basket wall alongside the river on the north end. This will help mitigate the river overflowing onto the fields without causing flooding elsewhere. Improvements have been made to help deal with this while we await approvals from the state.” She added that core aeration and seeding were being carried out last week in an effort to hasten the drying of the fields after a rain storm. “We have been aerating the fields on a routine basis, but this process is deeper and used on golf courses with much success,” the mayor explained.
Field designs to be reviewed as park upgrades continue
Future improvements, such as a more elaborate underground drainage system, are being considered. However, those projects would not be undertaken until the gabion basket wall is approved and installed. “We do not want to spend money and add something
until some of the flooding risk is contained,” Minichetti noted. Minichetti said she gave much of the credit for these improvements to Upper Saddle River Department of Public (continued on page 18)
Rotarians aid CFA
Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotarians Rev. Rob Parker, Brian Durkin, William Dator, and Kevin O-Rourke hold bags of food the Rotary Club donated to the Center for Food Action in Mahwah. Durkin organized this emergency food collection, as recent economic difficulties have greatly increased the number of people who rely on CFA for help. The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club has been supporting educational and charitable needs in Allendale, Mahwah, Ramsey, Saddle River, and Upper Saddle River since 1952. The Bergen Highlands-Ramsey Rotary Club holds its weekly meetings on Mondays at 12:15 p.m. at Houlihan’s in Ramsey. (Photo courtesy of Tom Grissom.)