Montclair Public Schools' administrators, current and former BOE members, Township officials, legislators, coaches, high school athletes, students, families and community members gathered Wed., Feb. 16 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand reopening of the Watchung Playground & Field. located at the corner of Garden St. and No. Fullerton Avenue.
The event was an opportunity to come together to commemorate the culmination of three years of dedication and hard work to expand the space so children can enjoy the new playground equipment and Montclair High School athletes (Boys’ Lacrosse and Field Hockey) can safely play on the new, regulation turf field.
Watch video of the ceremony courtesy of MontclairTV34.
(l) Superintendent Jonathan Ponds welcomes attendees to the ribbon cutting ceremony. He is surrounded by (from left) Montclair Councilor-at-Large Peter Yacobellis, Mayor Sean Spiller, Watchung Principal Patrick Krenn, Athletics Director Patrick Scarpello, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill and Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (seated). (r) Board of Education Latifah Jannah delivers remarks.
At left, children watch the ceremony from the new playground while (r) students and athletes look on.
(l) Mayor Sean Spiller addresses the crowd. (r) Families enjoy the new equipment.
(l) Watchung Principal Krenn and (r) Athletics Director Scarpello talk about the impact the new playground and field has had on students.
(l) Yacobellis, Gill, Ponds, Jannah, Councilor-at-Large Bob Russo and Spiller. (r) Field Hockey members and coaches Jeff Gannon and Mary Pat Mercuro.