The Greenhouse is one of only three municipal greenhouses in the State of New Jersey, the others being Maplewood and Belmar. Although highly visible, it is a committee of the Garden Club. During 1953 and 1954 Town Council Minutes record the development of the Greenhouse, refurbished using the obsolete Vandelinda Sewerage Treatment Plant. Adapting the sewerage treatment building for use would mean “covering the concrete vats, repairing the roof, and installing a heating system. The Club formed a Greenhouse Project Committee, and took on cleaning up glass and debris, as well as fundraising (asking for $25 per family to turn the site into the Greenhouse.)The roof, sides and glass windows were repaired and replaced. Garden Club members cleaned up broken glass shards and debris to be able to actually use the building.
The Greenhouse opened up officially on January, 30 1954. Since its beginning, work groups formed by interests (such as Herbs, Geraniums) would take on propagating plants for the use of the Township in parks and malls. This practice continued what earlier Garden Club of Teaneck groups did in the town.
There were 21 original benches that were assigned to Mr. & Mrs. Ackermann, Mr.& Mrs. Dolder, Mrs. Muller, Mr. Argent, Mr. & Mrs. Fleishmann, Mrs. Nugent, Mr. Auerbach, Mr. & Mrs. Lofberg, Mr. & Mrs. Tanner, Mrs. Buteau, Mrs. Meyers, Mr. & Mrs. Romaine, Mrs. Bodo, Mr. & Mrs. Martinson, and Mr. & Mrs. Toepler. An additional 10 were added during that year; all paid dues of $3.00 .
The Greenhouse grew to house many horticultural enthusiasts. It also has developed outreach activities in the community, covered in a later section. Members who joined the Greenhouse needed to be members of the Garden Club, live in Teaneck and commit themselves to the work of the Greenhouse by joining a group and developing plants for the Township. Currently forty members belong to the work groups. Greenhouse Directors have included Gene Hubbard, Lou Schwartz, Dania Cheddie, Len Schwartz and Stephanie Murphy, among other
Based on Town Council Minutes, April 1954, The Teaneck 100 Year Book(Jim Edmunds)
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