HILLSDALE—The Borough of Hillsdale is shining a light on a hidden gem in the community, seeking an approximately $100,000 matching grant from the county for Beechwood Park Nature Trail and Conservancy, where renovations are seen as well past due.
The 2,938-foot-long trail next to Beechwood Park, with entrances on Liberty and Hillsdale avenues, is equipped with a wooden boardwalk for visitors to utilize as they view a wide range of vegetation.
The borough on May 7 approved a resolution of intent to apply for $99,666 in match funding through the 2024 Bergen County Open Space Grant Program to complete essential renovations at this site, including replacing the deteriorated boardwalk with treated timber and installing viewing platforms and benches along the trail.
Proposed renovations will reinforce the structural integrity and promote the longevity of the boardwalk, guaranteeing residents have access to a safe recreational opportunity in a unique section of the borough.
The request includes upgrading the ball field at Beechwood Park, where officials say the lack of bleachers fails to meet the needs of spectators. The borough aims to install new bleachers and an ADA-compliant pathway from the street to ensure safe and convenient access for everyone.
The resolution acknowledges “the County of Bergen shall determine whether the application is complete and in conformance with the scope and intent of the County Trust Fund,” and that the governing body “is committed to providing a dollar-for-dollar cash match for the project.”
The resolution also says that “in the event of a County Trust Fund award that may be less than the grant amount requested above, the governing body of the Borough of Hillsdale has, or will secure, the balance of funding necessary to complete the project, or modify the project as necessary.”
In the bigger picture, Councilmember Abby Lundy told
Pascack Press after the vote that “there’s no other open space in town that offers such a wide variety of plant and animal life,” owing to the three plant communities at this site: the wetland forest, the upland forest, and a transitional area of vegetation.
A guide to the area created by the Hillsdale Environmental Commission notes that skunk cabbage, commonly found in wetlands, lines the boardwalk, and that common trees in the upland section of the trail include American beech, Sugar maples, and oak species.
Fred Rubel, chair of the Hillsdale Environmental Commission, told Pascack Press, “A habitat used by many local area species, the Beechwood Nature Trail affords residents a local portal into the natural world.”
Both he and Lundy noted that the HEC has recently obtained a grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions to install signage identifying the unique fauna and flora along the trail. This grant includes installing signage at both entrances of the trail.
While installing signage is a necessary upgrade at this site, the boardwalk renovations are a priority for the borough as the current conditions threaten users. The funding requested through the Bergen County Open Space Program will create a safe boardwalk that can withstand hazardous weather conditions.
A volunteer-led project completed in 2014 has helped maintain the site, which opened in 1969. However, say proponents, after years of flooding and hazardous weather conditions, the boardwalk is in dire need of renovation. Loose and uneven boards pose a threat to users and make this site inaccessible for those who require assistance walking.
In addition, the outfield is seen as needing revitalization to ensure optimal playing conditions. This project seeks to transform the outfield into a pristine playing surface, significantly increasing safety at this park.
An inventory of Hillsdale’s environmental resources and related interesting environmental information is available for free via https://hillsdaleec.org.
The HEC on its website explains that it advises the Borough Council and the Planning Board on local environmental issues, including solid waste management and recycling; clean water resources; stormwater management; energy conservation and renewable energy resources; air, noise, and light pollution; transportation and circulation planning; preservation and use of parks and other open spaces; land use; and protection of flora, fauna, soil and landscape throughout the Borough.
It also reviews the potential effects of site plan applications before the Planning and the Zoning Board, and provides environmental information to residents and collaborates with other municipal organizations and groups on leading annual events. Its meetings are posted and open to the public.