A Worthwhile Effort
We know that there are many residents who live in the area of the former Bottle King property who are quite upset today, as they have been for many months. That property will likely become a 195-unit apartment complex in a few years, after a redevelopment ordinance passed at Monday’s Township Council meeting.
We are sure that this does not quell the anger and frustration that they feel, but it is well worth noting that their efforts in opposing the project have made a difference. Yes, its size was not reduced nearly as much as its neighbors wished to see, but we are certain that without their constant vocal opposition over the past half year, that it would have been a larger project.
We do not know how many units the developer initially proposed. The Council had mentioned upwards of 400 units during previous meetings, but there is no public information confirming that figure. Either way, that was likely just the initial proposal, made with the knowledge that it would be negotiated down.
Even still, back in June, this project was set to include a 276-unit apartment complex, along with retail elements. Now, there will be 195 units on-site, with affordable housing for people with special needs located elsewhere in town. Again, we do not expect residents to be pleased with a multi-story apartment complex comprising hundreds of units in their backyards. We simply want to acknowledge that, due to their efforts, there will be 81 fewer apartments on-site.
It may not be the result that many in town wished to see, but the effect that this group of residents has had in preventing something even larger coming to the Bottle King site have not gone unnoticed.
Camuso Display Opens This Weekend
It is that time of year again. Thanksgiving has officially kicked off the holiday season and we in Livingston turn our attention to the Camuso Display, which will be lit up for the season each night at the Oval starting this Saturday, December 2. There is no fee to enter the display.
For those who are not familiar with the Camuso Holiday Display (and if you have spent a December in Livingston – or read a recent edition of the Tribune – how could you not be?), the spectacular figures were created by the late Ernest Camuso, a toymaker and machinist by trade, and displayed annually on the front lawn of his Burnet Hill Road home. The display grew larger and more elaborate every year, and served (and still does) as a fundraiser for the Saint Barnabas Burn Unit.
When he passed away, the Camuso family was unable to continue his legacy. Then-Council member Steve Santola met with the family and suggested that they donate all of the nonreligious figures to the township. As a result, a new tradition was born. Each year, the exhibit expands, but still includes a piece of the Camuso legacy in one scene that recreates the front door of the family’s landmark home.
To prepare the display, some of Livingston’s dedicated residents (Camuso’s “elves”) take time out of their busy schedules to create a winter wonderland for all at the Oval. The amount of work that goes into maintaining the 50-plus-year-old figures, providing the electrical connections for the lights and figures, and decorating the scenes is a massive undertaking that takes months of hard work. We all owe a debt of gratitude to these volunteers for bringing joy to our town.
Over the years, additional holiday-themed events at the display have been added to the calendar. Wooden stockings will be available for purchase, as they have been in past years, as part of a fundraiser. Purchasers’ names will be painted on the stockings, and they will be placed around the display. They will be given to the donors when the display is taken down. A fee will be charged for each stocking, and proceeds will go toward the restoration, repair, and upkeep of the display.
Returning special events of the display include a Gingerbread House; an “Elf on the Shelf” hidden within the display, his location changing each night; the trackless train; a choir quartet in the gazebo; a bouncy house; hot chocolate, and more.
The opening night lighting ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the lights turned on by 7 p.m. Opening night will also include a dance performance by the Livingston Starliners Dance Team and more.
Livingston UNICO will sponsor a meet and greet with Santa and his elf on Saturday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m.
The Chanukah menorah lighting, led by Rabbi David Vaisberg and Rabbi Simeon Cohen, will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 10.
First responders’ night will be held the following Saturday, December 16. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. there will be a visit by Santa for children with special needs and their families, coordinated by the Livingston Advisory Committee for Disabilities. Then, at 7 p.m., the Livingston Fire Department and First Aid Squad will host a craft project, open to all children in attendance. Santa will make a second appearance that evening, and hot chocolate will be provided to help celebrate the holiday season. There will also be Clydesdale horses, wagon rides for families, and a petting zoo.
So, please, check out the Camuso Display and consider making a donation to the Burn Unit or purchasing a stocking when you do. The display will be open on Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. through New Year’s Day.
