county park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...
in
Bergen County
Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, with major sections in
Leonia
Leonia is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 8,937,Palisades Park,
Ridgefield Park
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the village's population was 12,729,Teaneck
Teaneck () is a township in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 39,776, reflecting an increase of 516 (+1.3%) fr ...
, surrounding
Overpeck Creek
Overpeck Creek is a tributary of the Hackensack River, approximately long, in Bergen County in northeastern New Jersey in the United States. The lower broad mouth of the creek is part of the extended tidal estuary of the lower Hackensack and of t ...
, a tributary of the
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles (72 km) long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the subur ...
.
The Overpeck Creek flows to the west of the Henry Hoebel Area and the South Area of the park.
History
The first inhabitants of the area were Ashkineshacky Native Americans, who lived around Leonia. Approximately a thousand Native Americans had their seasonal activities, collecting shells for wampum and hosting their bath festivals in Overpeck Creek.
In 1954, the president of the Bergen County Park Commission, A. Thornton Bishop, proposed a plan to build a county park. This park was originally planned to rival
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
In the 1950s, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, and Teaneck donated municipal land for the development of the Overpeck County Park. During the 1970s, Teaneck's municipal government, under then-
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Eleanor Kieliszek
Eleanor Manning Kieliszek (September 25, 1925 – May 16, 2017) was an American politician who served as the Mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey, for two tenures, 1974 to 1978 and 1990 to 1992, as well as an elected member of the Teaneck Township Coun ...
, sold a 350-acre parcel of land to Bergen County, which was later incorporated into Overpeck County Park.
Henry Hoebel Area was the first area to undergo development; the other areas remained undeveloped and were used as dumping sites for garbage and car tires until they posed environmental hazards to their surroundings. The park vicinity was notable being filled with solid waste. Ridgefield Park and Teaneck filed a lawsuit against Bergen County because the park land was not developed and used properly. The project began in 2003 and the expanded park opened in 2010.
In 2002, the
Teaneck Creek Conservancy
The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is an eco-art park located in Teaneck in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is part of the Bergen County Park system independently managed by the member-supported, non-profit organization, the Teaneck Creek Conservancy. ...
and the Bergen County Parks Department began to establish a environmental and cultural park as part of Overpeck Park.
Regions
:''There are five major regions of the park: (six, if Overpeck Bergen County Golf Course is included)''
Henry Hoebel Area
Area in Leonia alongside Fort Lee Road.
The Henry Hoebel Area consists of a small playground, a
9/11
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
World Trade Center Memorial, bicycle and jogging path, and track and field. There are six tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, and two practice backstops. The bicycle-pedestrian path is approximately one and a quarter-mile long and it forms a figure-8, dividing the Henry Hoebel Area into two sections, separated by a tributary of the Overpeck Creek. There is also a dog park.
South Area
Area in Leonia south of the Henry Hoebel Area alongside Fort Lee Road.
The Bergen Equestrian Center, formerly known as the Overpeck Riding Center, is located in this area. The center is a horseback riding center that features a riding arena and paddocks.
The area is also used by various rowing teams including Teaneck High School and Columbia University.
Palisades Park Area
Area in Palisades Park along Roosevelt Street. The area consists of four hard surface tennis courts, four premier ball fields (one with artificial turf), an artificial turf football stadium with track, and a tot lot. Picnicking and horseshoes are available.
Ridgefield Park Area
Area in Ridgefield Park along Challenger Road, off Emerson Road. This area is and consists of two softball fields, two soccer fields, amphitheater (3,000 lawn seats), six tennis courts, playground, lawn, 700 parking spaces, boat launch, and walking trails. The park's grand opening was on July 5, 2010.Overpeck County Park - Ridgefield Park Area Accessed July 5, 2010.
Teaneck Creek Park Area
Area in Teaneck, between Teaneck Rd, Degraw Avenue, Fycke Lane and the Glenpointe Facility.
This is a 46-acre eco-art park, consists of passive trails and art installations throughout a forested wetland environment. The
Teaneck Creek Conservancy
The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is an eco-art park located in Teaneck in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is part of the Bergen County Park system independently managed by the member-supported, non-profit organization, the Teaneck Creek Conservancy. ...
, a non-profit, manages the land in partnership with the County of Bergen.