The New Overpeck County Park

Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney and members of the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders officially opened the new Overpeck County Park during an afternoon celebration at the site on July 5, 2010. More than 2,000 people attended the festivities, which included a ribbon cutting ceremony, a health walk on the park's new trail system, kayak and canoe rides and a hayride tour of the park. Park patrons also enjoyed free hot dogs and ice cream as they watched several local teams break in the new baseball and soccer fields.

"I'm happy to say that the County is finally honoring a commitment that was made more than 60 years ago," said McNerney during the opening ceremony. "Earlier generations of leaders should have done things differently, but that is history now. Today, I'm very proud that the County developed Overpeck Park the way it was meant to be. We transformed Overpeck Park, and we did it right."

More than 50 years ago, five Bergen County municipalities - Englewood, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park and Teaneck -- donated hundreds of acres of land to the County of Bergen with the intention of creating a central commons for art, sports and other leisure activities. The 154-acre site in Ridgefield Park is the last portion of the park to be completed.

"The completion of this project has been a top priority for my administration," said McNerney. "Not only did we create open space, we also cleaned up an environmental hazard. Now that the landfill has been capped, residents in the surrounding communities can breathe a sigh of relief knowing the land is finally safe and that the Overpeck Creek and the Hackensack River are protected from further pollution. The park is sure to become a recreational destination and those who visit will reap the benefits of the land's dramatic transformation from brownfields to greenfields."

The New Overpeck County Park, which is ADA accessible, includes the following amenities:
• state-of-the-art playground
• five miles of trails for pedestrian and bicycle use
• observation deck
• nature overlook
• two boat launches
• 3,000-seat amphitheater
• 40-acre open field
• softball field
• baseball field
• two artificial turf soccer fields
• six tennis courts
• comfort stations
• concession area

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