Tenafly Voters Reject Nature Center Plan

Tenafly Nature Center

The proposal that went to voters Tuesday was to replace the existing building at Hudson Avenue with an expanded 7,900-square-foot center on East Clinton Road and Kent Avenue featuring more classroom and parking space and better access for disabled visitors. Its estimated $7 million cost would have been paid from donations and grants.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Councilman Mark Zinna, who led the referendum committee. “The folks opposed to improvements at the nature center ran a campaign of disinformation. Now the residents of Tenafly get nothing. There’s no alternative. We missed out on a huge opportunity. The issue is fundamentally dead now.”

The Save Tenafly Green Acres group argued against building a facility on the tract off East Clinton because it would be damaging part of the forest that the center is charged with preserving. The critics said a building could be constructed at the old site with minimal impact to trees and rocks.

Anthony Bosco, a Tenafly Nature Center trustee, said the nature center will have to do the best it can with the existing facility. “There is no other viable option for expansion. It’s going to be very difficult to raise the private funds needed to upgrade and expand,” Bosco said.

Former Tenafly Councilwoman Martha Kerge suggested that residents voted down the new center because they fear change.

Meanwhile, police said they are still investigating reports that nearly 200 campaign signs in support of the nature center were defaced or stolen.

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