Rifle Camp Park observatory to be torn down to make way for new educational center

Matt Fagan, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read

Passaic County is partnering with Passaic County Community College to construct a new environmental center at Rifle Camp Park in Woodland Park at the current site of the John. J. Crowley Nature and Astronomical Observatory.

The observatory will be torn down to make room for the new $5.2 million educational center and observatory, announced Passaic County commissioners and the college on Tuesday.

Plans include the installation of two new classrooms that can be used by Passaic County Community College's 400 or so science students to further their studies, said college President Steven Rose. The new center will also be used as a showcase to educate the public about alternative energy including solar, geothermal and heat exchanges.

NJ residents not pleasedHere's how New Jersey residents really feel about climate change. Hint: They're annoyed.

"We may even have a little windmill," Rose said. "We are really going to use this place. We are excited and hopefully it will be done by next year."

The John Crowley Nature Center and Astronomical Observatory in Rifle Camp Park
The John Crowley Nature Center and Astronomical Observatory in Rifle Camp Park

Much of the money to replace the current center, which was opened in 1982, will come from state educational funding.

Once completed, the Rifle Camp Park Environmental Center will serve as a classroom and lab space for the county college and environmental and astronomy programs, community meeting space and office space to be used by designated county and college personnel. The college will manage the new center.

Public funds for private lake?:Why are Wayne taxpayers footing bill to dredge private lake? A 1975 lawsuit is behind it

The center offers unblocked vistas of Manhattan and sits upon a historic site, where during the Revolutionary War, Washington and his troops could keep tabs on British troops.

County commissioners said unlike a number of the county's parks, the observatory will be open at night for the public's use.

Once completed, K-12 schools may use the location as a field trip site for learning opportunities, county officials said.

The contract was awarded to H&S Construction of Elizabeth and the project is anticipated to be completed by fall 2023.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rifle Camp Park observatory in NJ to be replaced by education center