Rec. Department Goes Green

By now you’ve probably seen the gleaming new Community Park Pool and even dipped your toes into the cool water.

But have you noticed the other small changes, like the two rain barrels to collect and reuse water and an expanded community garden?

Three weeks ago, the department bought and received two new 65-gallon rain barrels at the suggestion of Administrative Secretary/Customer Service Supervisor Vikki Caines and Township Engineer Deanna Stockton.

It’s all about sustainability,” said Caines, a 25-year employee of the Recreation Department. “I’m from the islands (Trinidad), that’s what we do, we collect the rainwater just for the reason being that we have the dry season and the wet season. When we have the dry season, we utilize the water that we collected in the wet season.”

The rain barrels ($100 each) both prevent rain from gushing out of the building’s rainspouts and onto the ground and also hold enough water for Caines to water the community garden she began five years ago and has now expanded to the entire hillside behind the pool complex.

It’s just a small example of how the department is trying to go green, in addition to other new features including low-pressure toilets and auto-shutoff sinks in the restrooms.

“Obviously our water bills around here are huge,” Recreation Executive Director Ben Stentz said. “We fill these pools every year and it’s like a $3,000-$4,000 water bill and we have bathrooms and parks and water fountains so we have substantial water bills, so this is a drop in the bucket, but everything counts. I don’t know how to put a dollar amount on what we’re saving, but I know we’re doing the right thing.”

Nearby, down the hill towards the back of the Township Police Department lies the Caines' labor of love she named Marchand’s Meadow, after former Township Mayor Phyllis Marchand.

Caines, a 25-year Township employee has slowly but steadily transformed the area once overgrown with weeds and brush into a lush landscape filled flowers, plants and vegetables, including lilies, Shasta Daisy, Coral Bell, roses, sunflowers and blueberries, among many others

“It just makes the place look so warm and welcoming,” Caines said.

She can often be found working for several hours in the garden after she finishes work at 4 p.m., Stentz said

“It never ends, every time I look Vikki’s planting something else,” he said. “This isn’t Vikki’s job. She’s done this in her own time.”

And the garden costs residents nothing because Caines either pays for the plants herself or brings plantings from home.

Marchand, a friend of Gaines,’ often comes and sits on the bench in the garden, Stentz said.

“We all loved Phyllis as our mayor for so many years, so it’s a nice touch to name it after her,” he said, noting that with the area now cleared and planted, the Township pays saves money on maintenance costs.

“People tend to think recreation is only about soccer and baseball and day camp, but this is recreation here,” Stentz said. “I think the part about it that I like the most is that Vikki took something and made it into something. And that’s kind of our spirit here is to make things happen, cut through the beaurocracy and let’s just get things does. And that’s what this is.”