Historical Background of Park Ridge
Incorporated in 1894 the Borough of Park Ridge is a 2.6 square mile residential community located in the north-central part of Bergen County in a nine-community area known as the Pascack Valley. The Borough is bounded by the Boroughs of Montvale, Woodcliff Lake and Hillsdale and the Township of River Vale.
In 1940 the Borough’s population was 2,519; and as of the 2000 census, the Borough had grown to 8,708. With the release of the 2010 Census figures the Borough has experienced a a slight reduction in the population to 8,645.
During the middle of the 18 th century, settlers of Dutch and Scottish extraction settled in the area. Today descendants and structures of those times remain. The Wortendyke Barn has been refurbished into a museum. The Pascack Historical Society Museum also reminds the community of its roots with the past. The Pascack Reformed Church (1813) remains active in the community.
From its inception, Park Ridge has shown a most independent penchant. In 1904, the Borough dammed the Pascack Brook and installed a hydrogenerator to supply the electric needs of the first 17 consumers. In 1919, as the number of customers grew and the need for electric supply, the Hydro Electric Plant was removed from service and the Borough purchased power from the Rockland Light and Power Company. In 1977 the Borough, through its Board of Public Works, completed the construction of a $750,000, 26 KVA substation to transform and distribute power purchased wholesale fed from two new supply feeders from Pubic Service Electric and Gas. In 1981, a 15,000KVA regulating station was added to the electric system. Two 26.4KV sub-transmission feeders were installed to feed power from the main substation to this regulating station. This station was built to regulate and supply 26.4KV power to four large corporate customers that were being developed. Several years later, additional distribution circuits were built from this substation to provide power to the residents on the western sections of the town. Presently, the Borough provides power to over 3,800 customers with a peak demand of over 22 Megawatts.
Over the years, significant upgrades and improvements have been made to the Borough's electric distribution system and substations to improve service. In addition, since the early 1990's the Board of Public Works has taken advantage of the deregulated electricity market, and has purchased wholesale electric power from various energy suppliers that is delivered to the Borough through the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland (PJM) interconnected power grid. Through these wholesale purchases and the efficent operations of the electric utility, residents and businesses have enjoyed one of the electric rates in the State of New Jersey.
In 1924 the Borough started its own water supply system. Today eighteen wells supply the Boroughs of Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake with high purity well water at costs substantially below other water companies. The Park Ridge Water Utility has been a leader in New Jersey with the installation of carbon, air stripper, and resin filters on its wells to ensure a water supply that meets or exceeds all the standards of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Park Ridge is one of the only 9 municipalities in New Jersey to own and operate utilities which supply water and electricity to its residents.
A similar independence has been exhibited in the educational system. For many years, Park Ridge High School was a regional school for nearby communities. In the 1960’s the Pascack Valley School District was formed, but Park Ridge declined to join the regional district. Today Park Ridge has two elementary schools strategically located, each serving half of the municipality and a junior-senior high school. The three schools provide a K-12 school system based on the neighborhood school concept.
Beginning in about 1980, and continuing to the present, Park Ridge has gone through a significant growth spurt, combined with a rejuvenation of its small, but economically healthy, business district.
In 1976 the Governing Body rezoned a 180-acre tract in the westerly part of the Borough known as the “Bears Nest” to 100 acres for offices and research laboratory use, and 80 acres for townhouses. Included within the 180 acres is 40 acres of swampland that are now “protected wetlands.”
In 1982, Sony established its North America headquarters in Park Ridge in a 225,000 square foot, three-story complex on a 30-acre parcel. In 1986, National Utilities Services took occupancy of a 75,250 square foot office building for its international headquarters and in 1988 completed a 64,000 square foot addition. In 1987 the Marriott Corporation opened a 195,400 square foot, 289-room motel in the same area, and in September 1988 Hertz Corporation opened its international headquarters in a 225,000 square foot complex on a 15-acre tract, all in the Bears Nest
As of 2011, the sum total of these four corporate assessments is $88,250,000, or 5.4% of the borough’s total assessments.