Haddonfield commissioners accept a plaque for Downtown Haddonfield being selected for Greatest Places in New Jersey
Haddonfield officials and representatives accepted a plaque from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association on Oct. 14 during the Commissioners meeting. The plaque was honoring downtown Haddonfield as one of its selections for Great Places in New Jersey for 2014. NJ-APA President Charles Latini presented the plaque to Mayor Jeff Kasko.
Kasko asked members of other committees and boards who were at the meeting to stand up with the commissioners to accept the plaque. Now in its third year, Great Places in New Jersey recognizes unique and exemplary downtowns, streets, neighborhoods and public spaces — four essential components of exceptional communities.
“As a long-time admirer, it gives me great pleasure to recognize Haddonfield as one of New Jersey’s Great Places in accordance with the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association’s high standards,” Latini said. “Being a great place takes planning, effective leadership, an active citizenry and hard work over a long period of time. Haddonfield has all the right ingredients as a model for growth and development in New Jersey. A walk down the street in any direction and it’s obvious — this is where you want to be.”
Kasko recognized those who were responsible for the plaque, naming boards, committees, businesses and individuals who have helped make a contribution in the borough.
”We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the Great Places in New Jersey by the APA-NJ,” Kasko said. “We have always considered our downtown a great place to work and visit, and this recognition verifies that on a statewide scale. This recognition goes to all of the shop owners and our downtown management corporation, the Partnership for Haddonfield, for their hard work in making our downtown the great place that it is today.”
In other news:
• October was named Hadrosaurus Foulkii Discovery Month. In October of 1858, a crew of local diggers led by Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences member William Foulke excavated a nearly-complete skeleton of a prehistoric dinosaur on the Haddonfield farm of John Estaugh Hopkins. The dinosaur discovery site, which was officially marked by Eagle Scout Christopher Brees in 1984, maintained by his father, Butch Brees, and declared a national historic landmark in 1994, continues to attract more than 1,000 visits each year. This month marks the 156th anniversary of the finding and excavation of the Hadrosaurus Foulkii, which was declared the official dinosaur of New Jersey in 1991.
• First Night was approved for Friday, Dec. 31 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Also approved was parking during and after the First Night activities. Vehicles of residents and guests may be parked on borough streets between midnight and 6 a.m. on Jan. 1.
• Mario Iavicoli was approved for another year contract as Borough Solicitor.
• Diamond Staffing won the bidding for temporary labor services for the borough for seasonal duties.
• The motion to apply to the New Jersey Department of Transportation for a grant under the Trust Fund for 2015 for the Reconstruction of Centre Street and Ellis Street Project was approved by the commissioners.
• Citizens asked that mulch replacement and removal of trees be looked into or the process be reevaluated and proper guidelines be made because as mulch is piled on top of older mulch, this creates a mulch volcano that invites disease and kills trees.
