Village of Bergen residents now have even more reasons to enjoy their parks, thanks to several recent enhancements made by the village.
Bergen Mayor Anna Marie Barclay says the Library in the Woods opened this spring in Hickory Park. Members of the Bergen Department of Public Works constructed the structure which was inspired by similar projects in Brighton and Buffalo. The library sits on a concrete base and bookshelves inside can be easily accessed by opening the tempered glass doors.
“It’s on the honor system,” Mayor Barclay says. “You can take a book or leave a book.” A picnic table and bench nearby facilitate family reading and the mayor says soon Adirondack chairs (a memorial donation) will also be added. “It’s the perfect spot,” she says. “It’s in a wooded area near the walking trail and fitness equipment.”
She says the library and other park improvements are all part of an overall plan to, “give everybody something they can go to the park for, and enjoy the park.”
The recently installed “Library in the Woods” is a quiet, shaded spot for community residents to sit, eat and read. The Village of Bergen continues to work on improvements to its parks. K. Gabalski photo
The village’s five parks – Zuber, Carpenter, Ward, Hickory and Hartland – are now all linked by a walking path/trail. A map features points of interest such as historic architecture in the village, Mayor Barclay says.
An antique fountain, which was placed as the focal point of Carpenter Park on the west side of Lake Avenue in the business district, is now a working fountain with water cascading over its three tiers.
“It’s a really nice addition,” Mayor Barclay says. The fountain is not original to the park, but is similar to one which did stand on the spot, and is surrounded by memorial benches. “It’s a place where people sit and eat lunch or come to watch the trains,” she notes.
Previously, the village planted flowers in the fountain tiers, but the village DPW was able to get the fountain working, Mayor Barclay says. She explains that DPW Superintendent Gary Zawodzinski and his crew have also been busy at Hartland Park (which is the location of the village’s disc golf course) clearing the area surrounding the village’s former waterworks building.
The village has obtained grant money and plans to convert the building (which is structurally sound) for use as an all-season pavilion. The walls have been sandblasted and the interior gutted, the mayor says, and when complete, it will be available to be used by community members and organizations for gatherings, for meetings and additional activities.
The pavilion will be named in honor of W. Monroe Sage, the first mayor of Bergen. “He installed the first streetlights and sidewalks, he was known as the ‘President of Bergen,’” Mayor Barclay says.
And that’s not all; baseball fields have been upgraded, flowers planted, new signs installed and new basketball hoops and backboards as well as pickleboard courts are being installed in Hickory Park.
The village has also expanded its community garden on Church Street. “The community garden started in 2015 with five gardens,” Mayor Barclay says.“This year we have 18 gardens. The village planted two.”
The other 16 gardens are tended by families. The gardens are raised beds made of cinder blocks. The area is completely fenced-in and there is a sprinkler system for watering.
The village has also planted two Monarch butterfly gardens with both nectar and host plants to attract the pollinators. A beehive for honeybees was recently installed near the community gardens to help both the honeybee and facilitate pollination.
Mayor Barclay, who has a nephew who keeps bees, says the hive is known as a “flow hive.” The chambers are constructed at an angle, meaning the honey flows down, making it easy to collect “We are losing honeybees,” Mayor Barclay says, “we are hoping to make a difference in our community.”
Finally, the village is hosting a four-week Summer Recreation Program, from July 18 through August 12, 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Registration forms are available at the village office or on the village website. “There is no charge,” Mayor Barclay says. The program will take place at Hickory Park and includes activities and presentations by members of the community – the Fire Department, historian, and librarian.
“A member of the Park Committee will talk about composting and I will be talking about Monarch butterflies and our bees,” Mayor Barclay says. The program is made possible through a grant from the Genesee County Youth Bureau and donations from the American Legion, the mayor said. Children ages 5-14 are welcome to register.
