functional landscapes as local treasures: graydon park and pool
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Presentation about Graydon Park and Pool for the 2011 New Jersey Historic Preservation Conference, Monmouth University, Long Branch, NJ, June 3, 2011TRANSCRIPT
Functional Landscapes as Local Treasures
Graydon Park and Pool
New Jersey Historic Preservation ConferenceMonmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey, June 3, 2011
Presenters
Arthur Wrubel, AICPChairman, Historic Preservation Commission, Ridgewood, NJ
201-493-9651
Alan SeidenCo-Chair, The Preserve Graydon Coalition, Ridgewood, NJ
201-632-1436
Ridgewood, NJ
Ridgewood is in northwest Bergen County
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridgewood,_New_Jersey)
Bergen County is in northeast NJ
Graydon Park is in geographic center of Ridgewood, accessible to all residents
Graydon is in center of developed community in flood plain
Swimming in adjacent brook (dammed for swimming) circa 1920s gave idea
Before Graydon Park, 1920s or earlier, with sycamore
Initial use of Graydon as a swimming pond from about 1925
Ice skating at Graydon Pool, February 1931
WPA Plans for skating shelter (2 views)
Cornerstone from WPA skating shelter (1936)
Painting by Ridgewood artist Dorothy Warren
Original bridge from parking log (now demolished and replaced)
Postcard with sycamore on island (date unknown)
Summer 1938
Graydon was a focal point of community activity
Memorial trees were planted with plaques commemorating important events
An oasis in suburbia
One family’s dedication to Graydon
Story Time in 1988, provided by librarians
Barbara McCullough Pattin, 1943
This idyllic landscape began to receive criticism in 2005-2006
2000s• Canada geese arrived
◦ Aggressively hissed at people and ducks◦ Deposited droppings◦ Organic material may have harmed water quality
• Ineffective water quality management◦ 2004: NJ DEP fines Village for accidentally releasing
chlorinated water into adjacent Ho-Ho-Kus Brook◦ 2005+: Patrons complain of poor water quality,
cloudiness, and dingy color
2000s, continued• By 2006, word was spreading that Graydon’s
water quality was poor• Other trends, such as central air conditioning
and private backyard pools, reduced utilization of many public pools, including Graydon
• Graydon Pool’s membership gradually fell• Village formed a resident committee in 2006 to
study drop in membership
Study group was not objective• Named themselves “Clear water project” (later
changed by order of Village Council)• Worked with Village to commission feasibility
study of concrete pools• Held public focus group sessions where
concrete pool was the only option• Told residents that Graydon’s water quality was
bad and could never be improved with pool’s current configuration
Now things went really wrong• From 2006-07, membership dropped 33%• Against a backdrop of “this is a crisis—
something must be done now,” the pro-concrete group presented a Colorado consultant’s plan in January 2009
January 2009: first presentation of concrete plans at Village Council meeting
January 2009: “Water park” design with $13.9 million estimated cost
July 2009: Second plan had 4–foot deep pool with relatively small swimming area, concrete aprons, no sand (except for a sandbox far from the water). $10 million
Some of pond would be saved for “nostalgia” (toy boats)— not swimming
This was serious: 2009 Village budget asked Parks and Recreation department to pursue design and construction of a “Graydon Aquatic Center”
Request for Proposals (draft), containing final construction documents, would have allowed fundraising for construction if approved
The Preserve Graydon Coalition was formed. We induced Village to instruct library to let us display this poster next to concrete plan drawings
Press reported on our group’s emergence and, in a sidebar,improvements to pool’s water quality
NY Times, Labor Day 2009, home page (online day before)
September 9, 2009: The Coalition made major presentation at Village Council meeting
Environmental/land use attorney Stuart Lieberman kept us focused and motivated
We reviewed public documents at NJ DEP in Trenton to learn what actions had been taken so far by our Village officials and state regulators
Spoke at almost every Council meeting for months
We used every available medium: letters to editor, blogs, website, e-newsletter, and the telephone (to reach those who didn’t own a computer)
Sold yard signs at events and http://graydonstore.org
Information table at “Downtown for the Holidays,” December 2009
Sold car magnets
Council election of May 2010, would decide Graydon’s fate
Joined forces with another grassroots group to support Council candidates
We won! Graydon Pool seen as a top issue in election
Preservation New Jersey’s list
The Record (Bergen County), May 21, 2010: “Preserve Graydon Pool”
Memberships increased in 2010, due, in part, to our collaboration with the Village to promote pool membership
Recommendations• Form an advocacy group
◦ We tapped into the community’s latent passion for this site
• Make noise—numbers count
• Slow down the process
• Get to know reporters
• Retain an attorney with suitable experience
• Get involved in elections, if necessary
Thank you!
Arthur Wrubel, [email protected] 201-493-9651
Alan [email protected] 201-632-1436
The Preserve Graydon Coalitionhttp://preservegraydon.org
Review these slideshttp://slideshare.net/graydonpool