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Municipal lot to gain new parking spaces
(by Megan Burrow - October 01, 2008)
It may soon be easier to find that elusive parking spot at Westwood Borough Hall.
The council recently passed a resolution approving the construction of between 11 to 14 additional parking spaces near the police station. Currently there are 32 spaces available for employees and visitors to borough hall, not including the metered commuter spots located on the other side of the lot.
Borough Administrator Bob Hoffmann explained why the extra spaces are necessary. “Every day we get complaints about the lack of parking at the building, and on court days you can’t find a spot to park anywhere. By creating these extra spaces we’ll free up 11 spaces for others to use.”
Hoffmann said that borough employees were sometimes forced to find parking on side streets because of the lack of available places to park. The spaces will be created by closing off the driveway area and the opening to the lot on St. Nicholas Avenue. Bushes and trees will be transplanted to maintain the natural buffer between the lot of the houses nearby.
The work will start some time next month and the cost will not exceed $15,500, a price borough engineer Stephen Boswell has commented is excellent.
The money for the project became available when the planned construction of a roller hockey rink at
Westvale
Park fell through. It was supposed to be built on the former landfill site this year, but plans for the rink were scuttled when issues of settlement were raised. As the landfill beneath decomposes, it is possible the asphalt could crack and become unplayable. The town is currently looking for alternative sites for the rink.
Hoffmann stressed that if the borough found another suitable location for the rink, there would be enough funds for the completion of both projects.
Megan Burrow's e-mail address is burrow@northjersey.com.
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