HACKENSACK—Nine Northern Valley towns were in line to collect slightly greater than $1.2 million in Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund grants for 2026, according to Ken Aloisio, the fund’s executive director.
Aloisio said an Oct. 1 public hearing at the County Commissioners Public Meeting Room, 7 p.m., was to present the 2026 funding allocations as detailed in a two-page list attached to a public notice dated Aug. 25.
Generally, the allocations are approved for funding at the meeting, officials told Northern Valley Press.
The Northern Valley towns’ grants total $1,247,482, nearly double the amount that six Pascack Valley towns garnered in the annual grant awards.
The proposed 2026 Open Space Trust Fund allocations included: $1,181,360 for Open Space Land Acquisition Projects; $2,526,667 for Historic Preservation Projects; $12,350,000 for County Park Improvement Projects; and $6,940,773 for Municipal Park Improvement Projects.
Both Englewood and Englewood Cliffs were awarded sums of $218,471.
Englewood received the funds for improvements to Morris Park, including a new ADA-accessible playground structure with new equipment.
Englewood Cliffs received its funds for Johnson Field upgrades, including restoration of tennis courts, vegetation removal, surfacing, nets and posts.
Other grant awards:
- Cresskill: $115,500 for Terhune and Cranford Parks: Upgraded acrylic sports surface, ADA-compliant walkways
- Demarest: $132,229, for Wakelee Field Tennis courts new asphalt, tack coat, court surfacing, netting, and fencing
- Harrington Park: $100,000, for Swim Club walking path, signage, dog waste stations, trash receptacles
- Northvale: $79,672, Hogan Park: Parking lot resurfacing, paving and restriping
- Old Tappan: $107,062, Old Tappan Golf Course: Phase 1 PVC mainlines, manifold, valves, sprinkler heads
- Oradell: $107,062, Replacement of lighting towers at basketball and tennis/pickleball courts
- Tenafly: $169,015, Roosevelt Common. The fund will go to outdoor light fixtures, and light poles at tennis and pickleball courts.