WOODCLIFF LAKE—After nearly six years of environmental cleanup, Covid-related delays, and negotiations over site access, the borough’s engineer said the borough planned to file for state permits by Aug. 31 to construct a new ‘Galaxy Gardens Park’ on the former garden center site at Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue.
The borough’s consultant, Neglia Engineering, told the Borough Council on Aug. 21 that it planned to submit the land use permits required by the State Department of Environmental Protection by the end of August for the long-planned Galaxy Gardens Passive Park.
(So far, no official name has been selected for the park, which is known informally as “Galaxy Gardens Passive Park,” and sited on a now weed-speckled empty lot at the busy intersection of two county roads.)
Neglia Engineering said it would submit the permits to NJDEP for review and officials anticipate hearing back likely by year’s end.
The update was in Neglia Engineering’s report to council included on the meeting’s online agenda.
The 2.1-acre site at Woodcliff Avenue and Werimus Road was purchased for $1.65 million in January 2018 by the borough, after Valley Chabad had considered the site for an expanded temple building.
The borough subsequently moved to acquire the site as open space, despite some public pushback on potential environmental cleanup costs.
Valley Chabad later sued the borough for religious discrimination, and won the right to construct an expanded temple on its current property.
Following the site’s acquisition, the borough spent approximately $400,000 over several years to clean up residual soil contamination from prior garden center and gas station uses.
The Neglia Engineering update also noted that the borough had received a five-year extension request for Phase I restoration work this July 23 from NJDEP. The NJDEP permits were needed due to the nearby Category One waters of the Musquapsink Brook, which has its headwaters in the borough.
Under a contract for surveying and engineering services with Neglia approved Aug. 15, 2022, the engineering consultant was to conduct Phase I activities including design development, site engineering and NJDEP land use permitting services for a cost not to exceed $48,900.
Under Resolution 22-197, Neglia was also to conduct Phase II activities including preparing construction documents, specifications, and conducting the bidding process for hiring a construction contractor for the new park. The estimated cost for Phase II was $59,900 and that work has not yet occurred.
Moreover, the 22-197 resolution allocates $3,500 for estimated reimbursable expenses. All design/engineering Phase I and Phase II costs were to be funded by the borough’s Open Space Trust Fund, noted the resolution.
Some project delays were related to negotiations with a nearby property owner for access to the future park property. It appears that a future design may offer less on-site parking due to a redesigned parking lot and access area, said officials.
In addition to Neglia’s work on the park, Council approved on Aug. 21 entering into a contract with the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund for a $110,157 matching grant award from the 2021 Funding round of the county grant program. The resolution did not specify where the matching funds would be allocated.
Designs for the proposed new passive park were presented last summer by DMR Architects.
In June 2022, the park’s architect, Frances Reiner, of DMR Architects, told council that the park’s opening date was likely late summer to early fall of 2023. He estimated construction costs at $3.5 million.
Rendo said then that most of the park’s costs had been underwritten by county grant funds, municipal Open Space funds, and private donations. “The park is finally coming together. It’s a great thing to take an environmentally impacted area, clean it up, and give it back to the community.”
He called the park’s development a partnership of the county, community, and council and nearly a decade in planning and development.
Naming rights were one fundraising item up for negotiation, said Rendo last June. He said then that an anonymous individual had donated $750,000 to the park and that Party City had kicked in $250,000.
The estimated costs then to develop the park were noted as:
- $599,340 for a Party City Pavilion;
- $201,120 for bathroom facilities;
- $631,400 for landscapes, planting and site work;
- $790,900 for other park improvements;
- $542,600 for site lighting/electrical work; and
- $691,340 for the general contractor, bonds, insurance and contingency (25%).
Reiner offered a brief video and site renderings at the June 20 Borough Council meeting to provide an overview of what residents can expect to see in some 15 months.
“This will be a truly transformative project that will provide an outdoor gathering and recreation space in a borough that doesn’t have an official downtown district,” said a statement from Axiom Communications, a public relations firm hired by the borough.
Reiner said then the park would include a performance space, including an amphitheater with seating for 250–300, a shade structure, a pergola, quarter-mile walking paths, a playground for children, a pavilion, benches, a dog park, a large central water feature, and a space for community events such as holiday tree lightings, menorah celebrations, plus arts and music festivals, and shows and presentations.
The park then included 13 parking spaces, and Rendo said in June that residents will be encouraged to walk to the park. He noted the dog park would feature play areas for small and large dogs.
55 Woodcliff Avenue; Ida-related repairs
According to its report, Neglia Engineering will also provide a proposal for an updated concept plan for an approximately 0.85 acre site at 55 Woodcliff Ave., purchased by the borough about five years ago.
Neglia prepared a preliminary concept plan in 2019 that showed parking proposed on the property, but will prepare an updated plan showing a potential storage building and parking on the site, according to the engineer’s report.
Moreover, Neglia reported it was working on survey base mapping in order to file NJDEP land use permits required for “streambank stabilization repair, permanent infrastructure repairs and proposed mitigation measures” between the Old Mill Pond outlet and access driveway near the pond’s pump/filter house damaged during remnants of Hurricane Ida in September 2021.
Costs are estimated at $224,500.
Also, Neglia provided a revised proposal for repairs to five storm drain outfalls damaged by Hurricane Ida. estimated at $150,000. It’s also preparing survey base mapping to apply for NJDEP land use permits as required to perform the work, said the engineer.
In mid-June, council approved Resolution 23-159 for Neglia Engineering for engineering design and permitting services on three projects, including Old Mill Driveway and Bank Stabilization, Werimus Lane Culvert Bank Stabilization Repairs, and Stormwater Outfall Repairs at five locations, for a total not to exceed $307,700.