Wood-Ridge Newsletter WR-Newsletter 2017-1

LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER WOOD-RIDGE, NJ 07075 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID S. HACKENSACK, NJ PERMIT #1714 W OOD- R IDGE t he Borough of Wood-Ridge has been named the #20 safest municipality to live in in the State of New Jersey by the National Council for Home Safety and Security (NCHSS), announced Councilman Ezio Altmura, who serves as Liaison to the Police Department. “Just one year after our Police Department received New Jersey Police Chiefs Association Accredi- tation for being one of the best-trained professional departments in the State, we are honored by this award, which shows the efficacy of their efforts to keep our community safe,” said Councilman Altamura. To identify the safest cities in New Jersey, the NCHSS reviewed the most recent FBI Crime Report Statistics along with population data and internal research. Municipalities were ranked based on the number of reported violent crimes and prop- erty crimes per number of residents. Wood-Ridge, with a population of approximately 8,000 residents, earned its high rank among some 565 municipalities in the State of New Jersey. Wesmont’s 200+ Space Lot Nearly NEWSLETTER 2017 #1 Complete t he pavement is laid and construc- tion is nearly complete on a 215-space parking lot adjacent to the Wesmont Train Station, with a target opening date of July 1. Commuters will be able to purchase daily or monthly passes for parking on weekdays, and parking on nights and weekends will be free. “This parking lot will increase the convenience of our tremendously-suc- cessful new stop along the Bergen Line branch, which services hundreds of rid- ers daily,” said Mayor Paul Sarlo. “We look forward to even more Wood-Ridge residents utilizing the train station for commuting to work, points-of-interest, and other destinations.” In other Wesmont news, luxury town- homes at Wright Place (a name honor- ing the redevelopment site’s former aeronautical legacy) are continuing to sell at record pace, and it is conceivable that all of the townhomes at Wesmont could be sold within two years, Mayor Sarlo further reported. “The rising values of townhome sales at the Wesmont Station redevelopment is a sign that the housing market in Wood-Ridge is speaking loudly, and saying that our Borough is a great place to both live and invest,” Sarlo said, add- ing, “all throughout Wood-Ridge, we continue to see private property values on the rise.” A brand new playground adjacent to the Cathe- w elcome to latest edition of the Wood- PARK & Ridge Newsletter. The Borough is in full bloom in this edition with new enhance- ments to William Kour Neighborhood Park and the opening of the new Highland Avenue Playground behind Doyle School. I am very pleased with the new play- ground behind Doyle, the idea for which was championed by the Wood-Ridge Education Foundation, which was jointly funded by the town and the school district. Also in terms of educational improve- ments, our comprehensive vision with the Board of Education to upgrade Wood- Ridge’s public school facilities continues with three new science labs at Wood- Ridge High School, and air conditioning coming this summer to all of the schools. Wood-Ridge is on the road to progress, and this is further evident in an all-new parking lot accompanying our Wesmont train station and new road pavings on the horizon. The Borough has become a model municipality moving forward down this road together, receiving continuous acco- lades, including most recently the Bergen County Historic Society Preservation Award and the rank of NJ’s 20th Safest City by the National Council for Home Safety and Security. These recognitions belong to every Wood-Ridge resident. rine E. Doyle School building opened this spring, with multiple jungle gyms and creative play equipment tailored to children of different ages, a basketball court, a newly graded and sodded field with bleachers, and lush landscaping. “The new Highland Avenue Playground is now the largest playground in Wood-Ridge, and we’re proud to see it getting frequent use,” said Councilman Ed Marino, who serves as Liaison to the Wood-Ridge Board of Education. Councilman Marino explained that the project was funded jointly as a shared service between the Borough and the Board of Education. The playground is open for residents when the after-care program at Doyle concludes in the late afternoon, on weekends, and during school breaks. Also featured at the site is a covered 70- person pavilion, built for students to use an out- door classroom. The entrance to the playground on Highland Avenue was also renovated with new walkways, landscaping and fencing.