Hackensack, NJ Community Message Boards
General Category => Hackensack Discussion => Topic started by: Anthony on October 26, 2004, 08:08:57 PM
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What can be done to make some modest improvements to the ice rink at Staib Park before winter starts? Benches are needed so that you have someplace to sit and lace up. Also, the rink needs to be maintained throughout the winter. In the past there have been leaves, branches, bottles and other debris frozen in the ice making the skating less enjoyable and dangerous. Temporary barricades would also be helpful in preventing cars from driving on the ice. With a little special attention, the rink has the potential to be something special.
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I use to love to skate there when I was a kid. We took care of it ourselves, and we had a big barrel for burning wood. We were there for hours on end. I miss that rink...
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I remember it the same way. It was a great place for a pick-up hockey game
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I have those same fond memories, growing up a couple of blocks from the park. I can't wait to share them with my children this winter and hope the weather cooperates. Staib Park is one of the city's best kept secrets and the rink makes it that much better.
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I spoke to the City Manager and he reached out to Hackensack DPW.
DPW will take a look at the rink do what it can to make it safe and inviting. There's talk of making a short berm to keep cars out, adding some garbage cans and perhaps some better lighting.
Any other suggestions? This was a great idea.
Al
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Better lighting would be ideal. Thanks for taking an interest.
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Paint the asphalt using some very light color. Black (asphalt) absorbs heat and sunlight, this means the ice takes longer to freeze, and thaws out more quickly. Nowadays there are special "paints" made out of more permanent ingredients than traditional paint, which is likely to flake and peel. I also agree that a few benches would be good, as well as a permanent berm to prevent year-round vehicular access. Cars drive regularly from the end of Davis Avenue across the rink to the end of Coles Avenue, which is unnecessary. I too, skated there as a youth, and would agree that it is an undervalued and undermaintained assett to the parks system.
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Update: DPW put in a new fence to keep cars out of the rink. They also re-sealed the 8" berm around the rink to hold in water and they cleared the rink of all debris.
The City will see what it can do about temporary lighting. Older, permanent lighting was vandalized and removed. Still waiting on some benches.
Does anyone what to volunteer to monitor the rink once complete?
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I just took my 4 year old to the park yesterday, I played there all the time as a kid. Th epark looked great, alot different from when I was younger, and it was cool to see her enjoy it like I use to. The rink looked clean and filled with water just waiting for the cold. I wish I were still in town to enjoy it more often. The big difference I could see was the lack of kids. That park was always packed...too bad...the times they are a changin'
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I too lived 5 mins from the park and was there every day....i also went to Borg woods to ice skate, was great!
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I lived on wilson between coles and davis, how about you?
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On SpringValley Ave...are you a cop? or do you have a bro Charlie?
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Someone worked real hard to shovel now off a patch of ice at Staib Park, so that ice skating could continue. It must have been a lot of work, since we had 12" of snow a week ago. Now, we all know it's been brutally cold, and no doubt the ice is probably frozen right to the asphalt. If not, it's only 3-6 inches deep anyway.
So, here's my point: I would think the city could send a snow plow back there, or a pick-up with a plow, and clear off at least part of it. Gee, that would take about 20 minutes, I think they could they spare the time. They have the key to the gates. Obviously, streets are the priority, but once that's all done, it would be nice to clear the ice.
I saw the gates that were recently installed to keep cars and trucks from vandalizing the park, or illegally dumping back there. Let's all give Albert Dib some thanks for that. He forwarded our requests to the city, and they made it happen.
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Credit goes to "Anthony" who posted the message, the City Manager and Superintendent of Public Works.
I just hope we get some use out of it before spring.
Thanks Eric.
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My kids and I had a great time skating in the park when it first got cold, around the holidays. If the DPW continues to keep up the good work, maintaining the rink in the winter as they do with cutting grass and emptying garbage in the summer, we can continue to enjoy the rink throughout the season.
About 12 years ago, there was a push to put up boards and turn the rink into a roller hockey rink. A couple of police officers were involved raising funds to build the rink and start up a league. I don't know if there wasn't enough interest or if it wasn't feasible, but the project was never completed.
How great would it be for the kids to play hockey year round?
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DPW plowed the rink today. The City Manager tells me conditions are pretty good for skating now. A couple soft spots. Hopefully, it'll freeze again tonight.
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There was a big article in the Record a few years ago about a scandal regarding the fund-raising efforts for that rink. There was a policeman who stole the money, and he was caught red-handed. I think he lived in Maywood, I am unsure if he was a Hackensack cop or not. If anyone knows the date of that article, please advise.
Also, the Hackensack Riverkeeper completed a stream bank restoration project a year ago in Staib Park. It's almost inconceivable to meet that over $100,000 in grant moneys was spent. Almost all that money went into planning and environmental permitting. I could have gotten that job done in a few days and for a few thousand dollars, and I could have done it better. I would have volunteered my time to direct a construction crew, which would have taken a day or two, and another day to direct a landscaper to do the heavy plantings, and volunteers to do the rest. It's great that we have environmental laws, but it is sad to see the extent that they make streambank restoration projects into an economic drain, as well as a long drawn-out process.
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I went down to Staib Park the other day to see if the ice was good for skating.
The pond was never filled by the Fire Department. It's been cold enough for ice skating (it's frozen in Borg's Woods), but there's not enough ice to skate in Staib Park this year.
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The Staib Park Rink is Open!
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The DPW outdid itself once again! Staib is the best I've ever seen it. It's almost filled to the top, clean, and without much debris frozen into it. My kids and their friends were there this afternoon skating until it got dark. Although they were frozen themselves, they had a great time. The DPW added a couple of much needed benches and have a sign at the entrance to the park letting everyone know whether the ice is ready to skate on. The DPW's enthusiam is greatly appreciated. This park is a jewel and I hope that everyone in the city takes advantage of it.
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The Staib Park Ice Skating Rink is now open, conditions permitting.
(http://www.hackensack.org/images/staibrink.jpg)