MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali unveiled a preliminary $15 million plan for a new community center and town pool at the July 12 Borough Council meeting, saying “an overwhelming majority of the public” are in favor of the new recreational facilities.
Ghassali told Pascack Press that cost estimates developed by borough engineer Colliers Engineering & Design include about $11 million for a community center and $4 million for a town pool.
He said the facilities would replace the senior center and be built on that structure’s footprint off Memorial Drive. He said he anticipated the borough bonding for the new amenities and not holding a referendum.
He said major repairs were needed at the existing senior center, and it made sense to replace the entire building as well as add a new town pool, which has been long-sought by residents.
Ghassali said a committee would be formed at the July 26 council meeting to represent “all town entities, including the seniors, the scouts, the Athletic League, the schools, planning board, members of the community, finance committee, first responders, and of course members of our council” and that a timetable of committee meetings would be posted.
In an email to residents July 13, Ghassali said, “About 50 residents attended our [July 12] mayor and council meeting with the overwhelming majority of the public and with the council unanimously approving to proceed with planning for our new community and senior center and a town pool.”
He said, “This was to only approve the concept and the footprint of the complex” and that the design, colors, number of slides, “and all the details about grass vs. concrete, etc.” will follow.
He said if planning for the new facilities finishes this year, he anticipates construction to begin sometime between April to June 2023. If that occurs, he said completion of the community center and pool were estimated to take 12–16 months, likely finishing by late 2024.
“I’m very excited about this, it’s something we really need,” the mayor said.
Ghassali said the town must still submit its site plan application to the Joint Planning Board for consistency with the Master Plan, review and approval before construction begins.
“Our goal is to have this center up and running by the end of 2024. A replay of the July 12 meeting will be on Optimum 77 and Fios 35, and on the town’s YouTube channel in a few days,” said Ghassali. He promised to post the link.
Prior to July 12, Ghassali said that the previous town pool was run by a not-for-profit. He said despite efforts by the borough to “save the pool in 2016,” rising expenses and declining memberships forced it to shutter in 2017. “Every summer, I receive questions from residents as to why we do not have a town pool or a place for youth activities while the neighboring towns do. This new community center and the town pool are just a concept.”
He said, “If the community wants it, then we will go ahead and begin a more comprehensive planning process to evaluate the costs of construction, maintenance and management of a new recreation complex.”