The signers of this petition request that the Ramsey Borough Council withdraw plans to construct a new Senior Center at the municipal pool site, with an associated taxpayer cost of $2 million.

We request reconsideration for an appropriate venue which will provide our town’s respected seniors with a modern and right-sized facility to serve their needs, at a more modest cost to taxpayers and without the significant negative impacts presented by the current plan.

We also request greater transparency, communication, and community input on decisions that carry such high levels of impact on a central foundation of our community (the municipal pool), utilized by thousands of residents, and at such a large cost to taxpayers.

• The Ramsey senior citizen’s commission counts roughly 150 members with meetings of up to ~ 20 people. The current senior center is a converted town shed in Finch Park; a larger, updated facility in a central location is needed to better serve this vital segment of our community.
• Current plans for a 6,000 square foot center to be constructed at the Ramsey Pool site with an associated $2 million budget line item are neither appropriate nor cost-effective for the senior membership and usage, and have significant negative impacts on the pool facilities, landscape, and membership.
• The Ramsey pool, currently voted the best in Bergen County, is a proud centerpiece of our family-centric community, serving a membership of roughly 3,500 plus guests and generating annual revenue to offset the cost of its recent extensive improvements.
• The pool is immensely popular and provides a season-long calendar of children’s and family events, concerts, and recreation, keeping thousands of residents in town on summer days rather than traveling elsewhere.

Some of the negative aspects of the current proposal with respect to the municipal pool and its members:

• Available green space, open sightlines, grass areas, and sunlight will be significantly reduced by proposed buildings surrounding the south and west perimeters of the pool area.
• Proposed removal of playground areas will have large impact on family enjoyment and suggests a lack of awareness or study of the high daily usage of these areas.
• Crowding and parking issues will be exacerbated by the decrease in open space, addition of buildings, and increasing member traffic.
• Although pool membership has recently tripled, the pool building facilities would be reduced in size and relocated to the west perimeter of the pool area (facing the parking lot) while the new senior center would occupy the southern frontage of the pool property facing Oak St.

As plans have begun to leak out to the public, many seniors are included among those who have spoken out against the proposed location (crowds, parking, noise) and cost ($2M), and are looking for a more cost-effective, central, renovated, and dedicated senior space to accommodate their needs.

Honesty and open communication around decisions with such significant community impact will go a long way to establishing trust in the borough administration.  The lack thereof fosters suspicion and suggests that planning is being done in a vacuum without an appropriate level of impact analysis, study of viable alternatives, and collaboration via appropriate channels in the community.