Community Corner
Bloomfield Scout Troop Beautifies Morris Canal Greenway
An Eagle Scout candidate from Boy Scout Troop 22 and his peers helped to spruce up a Bloomfield landmark.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A Bloomfield landmark recently got a facelift thanks to a local Boy Scout troop.
Brendan Somers, an Eagle Scout candidate from Boy Scout Troop 22 – which also has several Nutley members – spearheaded a cleanup effort at the Morris Canal Greenway. The project kicked off last November and saw finishing touches last month.
The improvements include the installation of decorative flower beds, a paver walkway and an informational kiosk with a plaque.
Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Mayor Michael Venezia called the triangular plot of land at the intersection of John F. Kennedy Drive and Liberty Street a “Bloomfield landmark,” and commended Somers and his peers for their efforts, which were done in concert with the town’s DPW and Parks crew.
“It is important to take care of our precious open space so that it can be enjoyed by more people for years to come, and I would like to commend the young Scouts in Troop 22, and their scout leaders for their vision and hard work making this a reality,” Venezia said.
Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Michael Sceurman, director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, also lauded the Scouts’ work.
“It is inspiring to see young people take an active role in improving their community,” Sceurman said. “We are very fortunate to have a tremendous asset like the Morris Canal Greenway in Bloomfield and it’s great that the Boy Scouts have taken an active role in its creation, implementation and improvements.”
According to Bloomfield officials, the canal was built from 1825 to 1831 to transport Pennsylvania coal to markets in New Jersey and New York. Known as the “Mountain Climbing Canal,” it overcame an elevation change of 1,674 feet over the entire northern part of New Jersey through the use of inclined planes. It stretches 102 miles across six counties: Warren, Sussex, Morris, Passaic, Essex and Hudson.
Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
