Construction for the new environmental education center in the arboretum on Doremus Avenue has begun.

The idea for the center started back in 2009 and aimed to house a place for utilities for volunteers and for educational school purposes.

“[The center is meant to] provide a focal point for operations, organizations, recruitment, and an organized approach to managing the arboretum,” said Tom Vielbig, the president of the Friends of the Glen Rock Arboretum. He said that he wanted “ to improve and expand our educational program offering to all of the school children of Glen Rock, scouting troops and the surrounding communities.”

The decision to build this project was unanimously voted for by the Borough council back in March of 2017 and has since projected the project to be completed from 3 to 4 months. Groundbreaking began at the beginning of the school year and has taken off since then.

“On September 13, trees started to be cleared… and the site work started shortly thereafter. Now we have the foundational wall slabs poured, the rough plumbing is in… [in the following weeks] the framing is going to start,” Vielbig said.

Although the center has many positive aspects, some community members believe it would be an unwise use of funds to build for the use of other school children outside of glen rock instead of using the funds for the actual schools. Members have also raised concerns about the private properties surrounding the area.

“The construction will cause more people to come on field trips and most likely the kids will trespass on to private property of neighbors like some have done in the past,” says Doremus avenue home owner, who wishes to be kept anonymous.

Other concerns include construction being so close to the children’s playground in the arboretum.

“I am unhappy and was not aware at how close the building would be to the playground. It literally is on top of the playground. I was not aware of that.” says another Doremus avenue resident who requested anonymity.