Monument to 'Community Spirit' Stands at Westwood Hospital

When HackensackUMC at Pascack Valley held their open house Saturday, CEO Chad Melton presented a new sculpture designed to represent the community's support of the hospital's opening.

When the Pascack Valley Hospital first opened in 1959, much of the funding came from money raised in the communities around the hospital. Now the new hospital is set to open June 1 and many have compared the support from area residents to the original effort. 

The new scupture unveiled Saturday, titled "Community Spirit," stands nearly seven feet tall. It depicts a group of hands holding up a bronze sphere, symbolizing the efforts of many residents of Westwood and surrounding towns who supported the hospital through its state hearings and legal battles since the former Pascack Valley Hospital closed in 2007.

"It really represents all of you that are here today," Melton said at the event.

The monument is the product of Summit-based artist Bob Hill. He made it by first sculpting the arms and hands from clay and firing that to make a mold. Hill then poured cold-cast bronze into the mold to make the final sculpture.

"It should last essentially forever," Hill said.

Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Jim Leggate at Jim.Leggate@patch.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.