Montclair Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Bonsal Preserve
- PostEagle
- September 12, 2024
- Clifton News
- 0 Comments
NEW JERSEY – On Sunday, over 80 residents, past and present, of Montclair, Clifton, and beyond celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve. Just 15 miles west of New York City, Bonsal is a roughly 30-acre wilderness and wildlife refuge that is New Jersey’s best-kept secret – and one that its visitors love to brag about!
At the celebration, Clifton Mayor Raymond Grabowski, City Manager Dominick Villano, and former Montclair Deputy Mayor and Councilor William Hurlock were honored for their stewardship. The three men are credited with rescuing and reviving the Preserve with a recent, wildly ambitious, five-million dollar engineering project.
PHOTO: L to R, Clifton Mayor Raymond Grabowski, former Montclair Deputy Mayor and Councilor William Hurlock, Bonsal Wildlife Preserve Conservancy President Jonathan Grupper, and Clifton City Manager Dominick Villano. (Avril Media Group)
An Engineering Feat
Six years ago, Clifton recognized that it needed to replace its failed sewer system running through the Preserve. Encouraged by Montclair officials, the city undertook an engineering feat to redirect its pipelines along the edge of Bonsal’s boundary, running underground, but pitched gradually downhill to allow gravity-induced flow. To cap off the Horizontal Directional Drilling project, its restoration phase provided almost 300 native trees and bushes.
That initiative sparked greater community and volunteer involvement in the Preserve, now realized in a number of projects to maintain, enhance, and restore it. Sunday’s party celebrated that revival with a nature hunt for families, speakers who recounted Bonsal’s storied history, and a delicious spread generously provided by Marcel Bakery and Kitchen on Valley Road. The event generated over $2,700 in donations, 100% of which will go toward the continued preservation of the Preserve.
PHOTO: Sunday’s party celebrated 50 years at the Bonsal Preserve and raised funds for continued preservation. (MARTHA DAY)
Bonsal is Experiencing a Revival
The Bonsal Wildlife Preserve Conservancy thanks Clifton Mayor Raymond Grabowski, City Manager Dominick Villano, and former Montclair Deputy Mayor and Councilor William Hurlock for their stewardship. Finally, the Conservancy gratefully acknowledges Marcel’s Bakery and Kitchen and the contributions of Friends of the Bonsal Preserve for making the event free of charge to the public
Montclair Local
https://montclairlocal.news/2024/09/montclair-celebrates-50th-anniversary-of-bonsal-preserve/
