WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—A couple hundred residents welcomed the municipality’s only borough-owned park — Woodcliff Park — in a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, May 3 at the corner of Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue.
The festivities were most welcome following nearly a decade of on-again, off-again plans. Families, sponsors, friends of the borough, groups, and most notably children — who used the park’s expansive green space to toss balls, run about in circles, and send up kites — celebrated the grand opening.
Joined by state and county officials, Mayor Carlos Rendo — whose three four-year terms have spanned the course of the 2.1-acre site’s acquisition, remediation, pandemic delays and ultimate construction — welcomed the park as a gift that will extend to generations yet unborn.
Asked what the new park offers, he told Pascack Press: “Just one word: community.”
The park features a 1/6th-mile walking track, a monument area honoring local veterans, a gazebo, a bandshell, restrooms, benches on the path; and a large lawn/greenspace for town events, as well as picnics, relaxing, and catching rays on a lazy afternoon.
“Today we open up this park — and this is your park for your enjoyment. This is only the start of improving Woodcliff Lake. We are committed as the council and mayor to continue on this improvement,” said Rendo, a candidate for New Jersey lieutenant governor in 2017 with Republican Kim Guadagno.
He said the park would not have become reality without significant contributions from many people, including DMR Planner Frances Reiner and Neglia Engineer Anthony Kurus. Rendo recognized all the donors — including resident Marilyn Clark, noting the park could not have been built without her contribution.
Rendo thanked those contributing by purchasing benches ($6,000) and trees ($1,000). (Several remain available for residents who move fast, officials said. Details are on the borough website.)
Rendo described the timeline leading to the day’s revels: a decade ago he “pleaded” for county Open Space Trust Fund grant money for the then-proposed Galaxy Gardens park, and the county came through with approximately $700,000 toward that end.
Rendo thanked several bench sponsors who have donated $6,000 or more apiece to help fund the park’s construction.
Rendo thanked borough councils past and present for shepherding the project — and, vitally, seeing the need for open space. He emphasized that creating the park there cleaned up an “environmentally impacted area” — the site of the former nursery/garden center called Galaxy Gardens, and a service station.
The borough purchased the former Galaxy Gardens property in early 2018 for $1.65 million. To prepare it for safe public use, approximately $500,000 was spent on environmental cleanup, followed by $2.75 million in construction. A legal settlement related to the acquisition added $1.5 million to the total, bringing the overall investment to around $6.4 million, excluding soft costs.
Rendo said events at the park will include SpringFest on May 17, Movie Night In The Park on May 22, and a Memorial Day ceremony on May 26. He said other events could include poetry readings and musical entertainment.
The name Woodcliff Park was selected following a community naming contest that ran through September 2024. A committee of council members Julie Brodsky, Jennifer Margolis, and Nicole Marsh, along with Recreation Director Ryan Magee, reviewed submissions and recommended finalists to the Borough Council, which made the final selection later in the fall. The goal was to choose a name that reflected the spirit of the community and fostered a sense of belonging.
Stern emcees
In his remarks as emcee, Council President Joshua Stern thanked 39th District State Sen. Holly Schepisi, Assemblyman Robert Auth, and Assemblyman John Azziriti Jr. for attending.
He thanked Bergen County commissioners Mary Amoroso, Joan Voss, and Thomas J. Sullivan, who were in attendance. And he thanked the Pascack Valley mayors who attended: Montvale’s Michael Ghassali, Emerson’s Danielle DiPaola, Hillsdale’s Michael Sheinfield, Old Tappan’s Thomas Gallagher, and Westwood’s Raymond Arroyo.
[Township of Washington Mayor Peter Calamari was officiating at his community’s Third Annual Family “Spring into Wellness” 5K Run/Walk & Health Fair at the time. — Ed.]
Residents praise new park
Resident and former councilwoman Jackie Gadaleta, who played a role in pressing for the park, beamed. “I think it is spectacular and something that every person in the town of Woodcliff Lake can enjoy for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Councilman Benjamin Pollack said the park’s name pays homage to municipality’s original name — Woodcliff — and noted that park is situated on Woodcliff Avenue.
“Wonderful,” said Maria Frey, a four-decade resident, when asked for her view Woodcliff Park. “I think it’s wonderful, I hope they gate it,” she said, out of concern for children possibly venturing into traffic on Werimus Road.
Rendo later told Pascack Press that the borough would soon pursue grant funding to install fencing around park areas, aiming to protect children from nearby traffic. Council members said they were working with Bergen County on safety improvements at the Werimus Road–Woodcliff Avenue intersection, though a traffic signal was unlikely in the near future, as county officials are prioritizing busier intersections.
Bill Cantor, a 55-year resident, said, “I think it’s very nice that we have an additional park in town: It’s right in the middle of town, a good place for people to hang out and leisurely stroll instead of a power walk.”
His wife, Paula, seconded. “I think it’s a very welcome addition to our town.”