If the 10thAnniversary of Garwood Rocks street fair is anything to go by, Garwood is clearly going to rock this summer! On June 2, residents and neighbors came out to enjoy the annual event held by the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce, with delicious food trucks, tons of vendors, a lively beer garden and of course the ultimate car show! A kids amusement park and amazing rock bands rounded out what was another great year for this now-traditional Garwood event. Thank you to the GWACC for all of their hard work and another big thank you to the sponsors, which included Vermella and Crossroads, amongst many others. It was a fantastic way to kick off the summer!
Just a few weeks ago, Garwood joined many other municipalities in NJ in fighting the war on plastics as the council passed a historical ordinance nicknamed “Skip the Stuff.” This ordinance requires food service establishments to provide the “extras” like condiments and utensils for take-out only upon request. This limits the amount of waste that often goes unused and gets thrown away either in garbage or as litter on our streets. This is also a win-win for restaurants as they can spend less money purchasing these items that increasingly go to waste. Strengthening sustainability in Garwood has always been a priority of mine and by codifying this initiative, we’re making great strides to reduce waste and, in particular, plastic. So, if you want the “stuff” just ask! Otherwise, enjoy the empty junk drawer!
Paid parking is rolling out starting this week in the Southside Business District. Residents and visitors can go the Borough website to find all the information on how to download the new Parkmobile app. Also, be sure to take note of the signs when parking in this area. As we adjust to the new program, please contact Borough Hall with any questions. Our Borough Administrators are happy to help walk everyone through the new program and provide any information they can.
In other news, Garwood has begun an Adopt-A-Drain program as a part of another sustainability initiative, as well as to help mitigate flooding in certain flood-prone areas. Our DPW does regular cleanouts of our storm sewer inlets, but this is simply additional help from volunteers to keep our storm sewers debris and litter free, which can go a long-way when quickmoving storms roll through. If you would like to sign up to “adopt” a location in town, please head over to the Borough Webpage and look up the Adopt-a-Drain program in the quick links.
Some other ongoing activities in Garwood include the tile mosaic project that the Garwood Partnership for Arts and Culture is working on for Pride Month. Residents are asked to create special tiles using rainbow colors that will all be put woven together to form a larger artwork display. Information on this project can be found on the Borough’s website and social media pages, as well as information regarding the Garwood Public Library’s Pride event on Saturday, June 22 at 10 a.m. Come chalk the walk to celebrate Pride and then stay for a story time by Garwood’s very own author, Robb Pearlman, as he reads his children’s book “The Sublime Mrs. Stack.” Crafts and light refreshments will also be available at this fun event.
Make sure to also sign up for the Garwood Summer Recreation Camp! Children going into 1st grade through 8th grade can take part in the half-day camp at the Garwood Recreation Complex, with daily arts and crafts, sporting activities, as well as special programming and events throughout the seven-week program.
Whether you head down the shore or stay home and enjoy all that Garwood has to offer, I want to wish everyone a happy and safe summer.
