Mountain Lakes February 2026

Mountain Lakes

& BOONTON TOWNSHIP

SUPPORT FOR SENIORS  REDUCING THE STRESS OF MOVING RENOVATION UNVEILED INSIDE THE ALL-NEW LAKELAND HILLS YMCA

Redefining SWEETS AT HEAVENLY TEMPTATIONS

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This Laker couple puts help and heart into rehoming seniors through their nonprofit Caring Transitions. 20 Wiggles and Giggles

This local playgroup is all fun and games, and it is helping kids and parents alike keep away the winter blues. 24 Next Level Y

The Lakeland Hills YMCA unveils its new renovation with an emphasis on community and connection.

fFEEL THE LOVE

FEBRUARY FEELS like the longest shortest month of the year. Yet here we are, coming out the other side, almost enough to put a spring in our step. Maybe. February is undoubtedly most associated with Valentine’s Day, or in a direct counter to Cupid, the Super Bowl, followed by Groundhog Day. Maybe. Regardless, by now, we know whether Spring is close.

Whether we like it or not, love is in the air, or so we’re told, and this issue is somewhat dedicated to matters of the heart and beyond.

For one, it’s National Heart Month, and what better way to highlight wellness than to have taken a tour of the newly renovated Lakeland Hills Family YMCA? While in the

neighborhood, we also popped over to Boonton Township for another big reveal of the renovated municipal building and police station. History is definitely on display here.

In the warm-and-fuzzy realm, we chatted up long-time business owner and Laker Tara Nielsen who helps relocate seniors facing big moves.

Heart-driven motives aside, February is equally as flush with cultural mentions: Black History Month, President’s Day, and the start of the Lunar New Year.

February also happens to be my birthday, and let’s just say that I spent a majority of my own early childhood celebrating in bed with the flu or strep throat. Let’s hope this isn’t the case this year.

Celebrations aside, I want to close out by presenting an opportunity: If you’re a high school student looking to beef up your college application by using your social media savvy, then reach out! We might just have an internship for you. If you’re up to the challenge of creating hyperlocal content to help boost the presence of your hometown magazine, then we should definitely talk.

In the meantime, stay warm, stay safe, and stay local.

Warmly,

Ellen S. Wilkowe Editor

ellen.wilkowe@wainscotmedia.com

Mountain Lakes & BOONTON TOWNSHIP MAGAZINE

Publisher Mary Lima mary.lima@wainscotmedia.com (917) 969-0924

Editor

Ellen S. Wilkowe

Photographer Antonietta Henry

WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman Carroll V. Dowden

President and CEO Mark Dowden

SVP, Regional Magazines Thomas Flannery thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com (201) 571-2252

Regional Publisher Jodi Bruker

VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan

Creative Director Kijoo Kim

Art Director Rosemary O’Connell

Executive Editor Elaine Paoloni Quilici

Associate Editor Sophia Carlisle

Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer

Operations Director

Catherine Rosario

Production Designer Chris Ferrante

Print Production Manager Fern Meshulam

Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden

Mountain Lakes + Boonton Township magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

Tunes, Treats and Sweets

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

FEBRUARY: The unofficial official midpoint of winter. It won’t be long now. In the meantime, here’s a list of homegrown happenings to help bide your time until Spring comes into the rear view.

TUNES TO SWOON

What better way to woo your beau or gather up the gang for an evening of catching up over live music. Well, look no further than Nostrana’s Ristorante in Boonton. Their upstairs lounge 2nd Story boasts live music from 7 to 10 p.m. every Saturday including Valentine’s Day.

Strum sweet nothings or serenade your sweetie from the stage. Boonton Coffee Company hosts Open Mic nights the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, and all acts are on the table: Music, magic, comedy. Bring it. (Mic drop optional).

LOVE BITES

Boonton’s Main Street boasts enough bakeries and sweet shops worthy of a self-guided tasting tour.

• Bagels and Crumbs 704 Main St. While bagels take center stage here, there are plenty of homemade sweet treats on hand to tempt. From Tiramisu to classic cheesecake and mouthwatering macarons, romance is always on the menu.

• Tentaciones Colombianas Bakery & Cafe 720 Main St Tasty pastries run the show here. Check out their strawberry or pineapple pinwheel and dare to resist their thousand-layer cake, a puff cream-filled pastry topped with caramel.

• Bella Sicilia Bakery 406-408 Main St. Bella Sicilia Pizzeria and Restaurant just added bakery items to their lineup and with good reason. Canoodle over cannoli or double date on dibs over Nutella pie.

• Meli’s Sweet House 813 Main St. Is it ever really too cold for ice cream? Never. That’s why hot fudge exists or warm brownies to lay the foundation for a classic Sundae. Fun toppings just come with the territory. There’s also an entire strawberry-themed menu as well as milk shakes and smoothies.

WREATH MAKING

Spruce up your front door with a whimsical fantasy-inspired wreath. The hands-on workshop takes place at Boneyard Boutique in Boonton at Feb. 11, 7 p.m. and serves as the perfect antidote to get you through the remainder of winter. The evening begins at 6 p.m. and is open to ages 15 and up. Cost is $75 and includes all materials such as dried flowers, quarts, crystals, and faux mushrooms, to name a few. Instruction will be on hand as well as light refreshments.

Register at www. boneyardboutique.com.

ADULT CRAFT SERIES

A new adult craft series is on the books at the Mountain Lakes Library, so mark your calendar for the last Thursday of each month. The debut workshop begins on Feb. 26 from 7 to 8 p.m. and offers you the opportunity to unload those unworn sweaters and repurpose them into mittens. No experience required.

Find more information at www.mountainlakeslibrary. org/calendar.

SLEDDING

When it comes to the best in sledding, Morris County Tourism delivered big for Mountain Lakes and surrounding areas, with the Tower Hill Sled Run. The designated sledding area was made official by the borough as an alternative to the traffic heavy Pollard Road. The location of the sled run was land that was originally slated for development before Herbert Hapgood went bankrupt.

The 1,500-foot sled run is accessible to the left near the top of Tower Hill Road between house numbers 50 and 62. The trail levels out to Overlook Road. Sledding enthusiasts looking for more challenging runs can head to nearby Tourne County Park, which also received an honorable mention.

WATER COLOR PAINTING

Nothing screams Spring like a watercolor painting, and local artist Deepa Vavilala will show you the way. From blank canvassers or artists wanting to brush up on their skills, the workshop takes place Feb. 21 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Mountain Lakes Public Library. Cost is $10 and includes all materials.

Pre-registration is required at www. Mountainlakeslibrary.org/calendar.

READY, SWEAT, GO!

Pull up a chair and dance? It’s a regular occurrence on Thursdays at the Community Church of Mountain Lakes. The 45-minute cardio chair dance fitness class is packed with choregraphed routines featuring the Cha-Cha, the Twist, Cowboi Boogie, and more. The program is free and kicks into gear at 10 a.m. No pre-registration is required.

Contact Sue kidsatccml@gmail.com if you have any questions.

An Affection for CONFECTION

Heavenly Temptations: Where love is always on the menu.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

80 POUNDS. Now that’s a lot of fudge, and make that homemade fudge, enough to last about a month, if that.

At four hours per kettle-melted batch, the culmination of the decadent confection is an intensive labor of love that very much reflects the name of the cafe where it is whipped into perfection for foraging or gifting. Maybe both.

Welcome to Heavenly Temptations: A destination for all matters of the heart. It is an institution that has been satisfying sweet tooths and sentimentseekers for more than three decades.

A MAIN STREET INSTITUTION

“We’re going on 36 years,” says Ann Cox, a Boonton native, who minds the store along with her husband, Pat, her mom, Marion Gentile, and a dedicated team of long-time employees. A combination one-stop shop for sweets and comfort food—think homemade soups, sandwiches, and yes, even quiche—the store is equally as dedicated to gifts and greeting cards to accompany them.

The open-air vibe resonates almost as much as the aroma of treats baking in real time on any given day. Fresh coffee and espresso encourage lingering, and there is plenty of seating on hand, including a designated window view, to lengthen your stay. While the coffee delivers, it is impossible to resist pairing it with the assortment of cakes, pies, and pastries on display. The selection of

biscotti warrants repeat trips in order to taste test all the flavors.

With the exception of rolls and bagels, all goods are baked fresh on the premises, and some, such as the cherry almond biscotti incorporate family recipes. Ann’s 90-years young mother Marion “Mimi” Gentile emerges from the kitchen, her sweatshirt telling it like it is: A Baker’s Gotta Bake, and bake she does. She came on board in 1997 after retiring from her nursing career, but not really retiring. She’s an allaround full-time employee and at the helm of all matters muffins, biscotti, and the majority of the cakes.

As a business owner, Cox rolls up as equal a sleeve as her employees and her first order of business is scones and there’s a schedule involved. “Raisin scones are our staple, and Wednesdays

are double-orange scones.”

Specialty brownies and gluten free products also fall in her wheelhouse, as do small business essentials such as planning, purchasing, personnel, and gift baskets. In mother-daughter fashion, mom bakes the cakes and Cox frosts them. The division of labor continues: Mom makes the crust of the quiche and daughter fills the shell. Cox also stirs the pot of the homemade soups such as curried pumpkin for example.

To date—and very much for your date—Heavenly Temptations is in fullon Valentine’s Day mode. There’s an entire table dedicated to it such as red Chinese food takeout cartons packed with elements of surprise.

On the food-is-love front, chocolate covered strawberries, red velvet cake and, wait for it, chocolate covered

A STORIED PAST

Once upon a time, Heavenly Temptations lived in the lower level of the Boonton Holmes Public Library. A true groundfloor venture and an embodiment of humble beginnings, the cafe first operated in a 400-square-foot space on the right side of the library. Word spread as did the business, establishing the cafe and espresso bar in the remaining space.

This was in the late ‘80s early ‘90s when stationary stores, while showing hints of decline, were still very much a slice of Main Street Americana, including Boonton. Cox was able to preserve some of that stationary store charm when she took over the space from Laker and owner of Boonton Stationery Store and Gift shop owner Klauss Lutter in 1994.

While helping Klaus close up shop and in putting her own stamp on it, Cox and others unearthed a secret door of sorts hidden beneath the layers of the walls.

“This door connected our building to the building next door,” she says, referencing what is now Tiffany Nails. “These two buildings were originally owned by two brothers.” In a further big reveal, the crew discovered a set of broken wooden steps outside the door and attached to the exterior of the building. Secret passages aside and for safety purposes, the steps and door were removed. In place of the door, Cox installed a window that is visible from behind the counter, and the two buildings still remain very much connected by way of a door on the upper level.

bacon are brought into the seasonal fold as well.

Cox keeps her nonedible inventory fresh by way of trade shows and sales reps.

An entire section of the wall is dedicated to lavenderscented comforts including the proven-popular microwavable plush bears and warming neck pillows. The lavender collections hail from the California-based women-powered Sonoma Line, which was conceived on a lavender farm in the namesake wine region. The march of self-care continues through an assortment of handmade soaps, lotions, and, of course, candles.

In paying homage to Cox’s hometown, “I love Boonton”

merch is up for grabs as are themed coffee mugs and gourmet packaged recipes to make at home. Cox is also partial to the Life is Good brand, which is known for its whimsical uplifting messaging and graphics. With more than three decades of hometown advantage, Heavenly Temptations stays in their lane and coexists in what has become coffee shop row. A steady stream of repeat customers keeps everything in check as does a dedicated team of employees, and the delicacies speak for themselves.

Heavenly Temptations is located at 712 Main St. in Boonton. Find more information at www. heavenlytemptations.com.

themenardgroup.com

Recent Home Sales

People ask,

“Should I sell my home in today’s real estate market?” The answer is “YES”. Here’s why...

1. High Demand and Competitive Offers – homes are selling at 102% of the list price

2. Low Inventory Levels – Mountain Lakes has 3 active listings and Boonton Township has 8.

3. Favorable Market Conditions – Interest rates, while fluctuating, remain attractive enough to keep buyers motivated, and the area’s proximity to New York City continues to drive demand.

Caring Transitions of Parsippany is owned and operated by Laker couple Tara and Brian Nielsen. Since its inception last year, the company hosts an annual auction, which benefits nourish.NJ.

On the Move

This Laker couple puts help and heart into rehoming seniors.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

AAS A CORPORATE relocation specialist, Tara Nielsen spent the majority of her career opening and closing doors for clients across the globe: India, Brazil, and Australia, to name a few.

Now, the long-time Laker has taken that experience and is channeling it back home by helping seniors with their relocation needs. “This gives me a way to connect with the community,” she says. “Helping seniors is very rewarding.”

As a recent empty nester and world traveler, Nielsen was primed to make a professional pivot that would resonate with her.

A bit of research led her to Caring

Transitions, a niche franchise that walks seniors through the oftenemotional and overwhelming experience of downsizing their homes, sorting through sentimental items, and moving into smaller spaces. She and her husband Brian, who still keeps a foot in his day job, went all in about a year ago, and the demand for downsizing continues to deliver. While the business is based in Parsippany, the couple services Mountain Lakes and the surrounding areas up to 10 miles.

“This is really about working with seniors and meeting them at their moment,” Nielsen says. “We try to make this transition as smooth and painless as possible.”

A HELPING HAND

Since launching the franchise, Nielsen has been tending to mostly widows, many of whom are coming to grips not only with their grief, but the reality of moving into a smaller space.

“These are a different set of challenges,” Nielsen says. “It can be a frightening time for seniors. Maybe someone lost a partner and they no longer have that person to turn to. That’s where we step in, to help them through this vulnerable time.”

While the move itself can seem daunting, so can the emotions that come with closing up a wellloved home and the floor-to-ceiling memories it contains.

“This is hard for clients and their family members,” she says. “You’ve maybe been in a house for 40 years and you have a lifetime of stuff, and it’s not just junk to be discarded.”

In dealing with emotional currency and her own desire to pay it forward, Nielsen tries to rehome as many items that she sees fit, packaging them as “thoughtful donations.”

“I’ll always find the right charity to take them,” she says.

Nourish.NJ is one such charity that she holds close to heart. The Morris County-based nonprofit works to combat food insecurity and provides housing support, workforce assistance, case management, and mental health connections. Seniors are particularly at risk for food insecurity, Nielsen says, citing data that shows 1 in 10 seniors in New Jersey struggle with access to food and 16% in Morris County attest to having run out of food.

“Food insecurity and poverty affect every corner of our community, often in unseen ways,” says Nancy Rudgers, corporate engagement manager at nourish.NJ. “At nourish.NJ, we meet people where they are—without barriers or judgement—proving access to healthy food and support services, while creating a welcoming space that

offers dignity, stability, and hope when it’s needed most.”

For the second year, Caring Transitions is in the middle of launching their annual Handbags for Hunger campaign. The two-part endeavor involves a community-wide collection of gently used handbags, designer clothing, jewelry, and accessories. The collection effort is ongoing through Feb. 16. By the end of the month, the online charity auction kicks into gear, and the public can purchase gently-loved luxuries at www.

CTBid.com.

“100% of the proceeds go directly to

nourish.NJ,” Rudgers says.

Items that fall short of the auction will be donated to Dress for Success in Madison, a nonprofit that assists unemployed or underemployed women with job-readiness and outfits them with professional attire. It’s a win-win partnership between Caring Transitions of Parsippany and Sunrise Senior Living in Livingston that keeps seniors engaged in the auction as well.

“It’s fun for them to see their items in a new light or even watch the auction,” Nielsen says.

Last year’s auction netted $2,000 for nourish.NJ. Caring Transitions is gearing up for their annual auction, which raises funds for nourish.NJ by selling donated high-end items.

Bottom: It’s all hands-on deck when it comes to helping seniors sort through their sentimental things, but many items, such as this floral purse, find new homes by way of donations or the auction block.

FINDING JOY

Intentional acts of charity aside, Nielsen fancies herself a treasure hunter of sorts, and her finds usually have a story to tell. Due to her diligent donation philosophy, the New Jersey Youth Symphony Orchestra landed a number of musical instruments, stands, and there was even mention of a baby grand piano.

With a majority of clients who identify with the Silent Generation who are well into their eighth decade, Nielsen has come across a number of collectibles such as Llardos (porcelain figurines), Hummel figurines, coins, and dolls. China sets just come with the territory.

“They are very proud of these things,” Nielsen says of the seniors she helps. “They’ve collected them over decades, and it’s very hard for our clients who just assumed that their family members would want them, and they take it personally.”

Nielsen even finds a purpose for sewing machines through organizations like One World, One Love that help resettle refugees. “Many of these refugees use sewing machines to make their own clothes,” she says.

Some of her more memorable finds include a diamond emerald engagement ring and a Rolex, a surprise discovery made by a team member behind a bathroom cabinet. The items belonged to the adult child’s mother, who suffered from dementia and misplaced them.

“[The client] was so emotional when we brought it to him,” Nielson says. “He

said that she was talking about the ring for years and assumed she lost it.”

A vintage Christmas tree topper was another great find for an adult child who set it aside to make new memories. Then there was the chess board with the crack and the proposal story that went along with it.

“This woman had lost her husband in March, and she got all teary eyed when we found it, Nielsen says. “She said that it was smacked against a table right before her husband’s proposal and she was so happy to relive the story.”

Nielson’s most recent find? A Cartier watch in a handbag found by an employee. The watch is, naturally, en route to the auction.

Sentimental contents aside, Nielsen

also helps her clients make sense of the mundane aspects of moving, such as switching off the electricity or an existing landline. These are tasks that may have been handled by their late partner or other family members.

“Sometimes they’ll come to us after getting off the phone with a Realtor or having changed insurance carriers and they’re really proud of themselves,” she says.

While she and her husband own the franchise, it takes a village, or in this case, a team of 12, to keep it well, moving. The Nielsens two sons and Mountain Lakes High School graduates are involved, providing the muscle, while others bring specialty experience to the table, including a fellow mom who worked for Sotheby’s and helps out with the auction.

The business has proven cyclical in nature with summer being the busiest season. While Caring Transitions partners with assisted living facilities like Sunrise and The Oaks in Denville, Nielsen says most of her clients are simply moving into smaller spaces.

In Nielsen’s immediate future, it’s all auction, all the time, but the emotional rewards are all the more worth it.

For more information, go to www.caringtransitionsofparsippany.com.

Wiggles and Giggles

This local playgroup is all fun and games.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

IIT’S MONDAY MORNING. Traffic is light but steady, and pedestrians are keeping a careful watch. Construction is also underway but not to the detriment of traffic–or pedestrians.

With all the trappings of a cityscape, the makeshift street scene was fully powered by the pitter patter of tiny feet on the gymnasium floor at St. Catherine’s of Siena Church in Mountain Lakes.

Welcome to Moms and Tots—

or in the case of this group’s era—Dads. The automobiles of choice were courtesy of Little Tykes and the buildings by Fisher Price: Timeless old-school classics suitable for the tiny hands that take charge of them. Pajamas were the preferred attire, at least on this particularly wintery Monday. While the exact year of origin remains somewhat of a mystery, the group continues to span across generations, and the batonpassing continues.

Opposite

Opposite page: Into the great wide open, Leo and Michael Naughton taking off in their Little

TINY TOTS

Today, Jesse Mynahan of Mountain Lakes, a father of four including twin four-year-old boys Veer and Arjan, is at the helm. Mynahan joined when his two now school-aged children were small. The playgroup is open to children 12 months to 4 years old, and the only ask is a non-perishable donation for nonprofit Fr. English Food Pantry in Paterson.

Prior to Mynahan, Laker Lauren Ficara manned the group, initially attending when her now 5-year-old, Rona, was a baby and then taking the reins from 2014 to 2019. She also has two other children, Maeve, 10, and Donovan 8.

“The program started long before me,” she says. “My husband grew up in town, and I believe as a kid he was even involved in it.”

In addition to Jesse, the most recent group is commandeered by a number of caregivers such as Alex Fila of Boonton, a nanny who was minding the store of brothers Michael and Leo Naughton.

Their mom, Amanda, found out about the playgroup through a friend when Michael was 2 and Leo was 8 months, and it’s been a win all around.

“It’s a great environment for toddlers to freely play and meet other children in the community. Especially in the winter,” she says. It’s a great place to go to when you want to get out of the house.”

Michael and Leo are both big brothers to Jack, who was just 8 weeks old at the time of publishing, and Fila, the nanny, has been with the growing family almost from the get-go, about two and a half years.

For her, attending to little ones is more of a joy than an actual job,” she says. “I just really love children.”

Marleni Menendez, a babysitter from Union, echoes those sentiments. She boasts 18 years of childcare experience including seven with her current family, and brings first-hand motherhood to the table as well.

On this recent Monday, she was keeping tabs on Francis Regina, another 4-year-old boy from Mountain Lakes, who was at the wheel, alongside the other children.

Francis is one of the regulars and has been attending the group for about a year. “He goes every week and he loves it,” says his mother Sarah Regina, who, like Mynahan, has three older school-aged children ranging in grades from

sixth to third.

Francis even made some friends—the Mynahan twins—and just in time for their kindergarten debuts next year.

While the group operates within the church, St. Catherine’s membership is not required in order to participate. The only ask is a canned-food or monetary donation for Fr. English Food Pantry. Last year, the playgroup raised a few hundred dollars for the cause, Jesse says.

Moms & Tots meets every Monday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at St. Catherine’s of Siena on North Pocono Road in Mountain Lakes. For more information contact Jesse Mynahan jesse.mynahan@gmail.com with any questions.

Next Level Y

The Lakeland Hills YMCA unveils its new renovation with an emphasis on community and connection.

SSWEAT EQUITY. It doesn’t get any more on point when describing the complete reboot of the Lakeland Hills Family YMCA, though next level fits nicely, too.

“This is our back to the future moment,” says CEO Alex Martinez, referring to the popular 1980s timetravel trilogy, starring Michael J. Fox. The ribbon has long been cut, but the effects are still reverberating through the township as members continue to strive for their personal bests using state-of-the art technology that meets them on their terms.

This is not to discount the human touch advantage of personal trainers or specialty staff on hand to help them

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

navigate through upgraded equipment or overall wellness.

“We’re more than gym and swim,” says Martinez. “We are a public health institution and a vehicle by which we help people lead their best lives.”

This renovation in particular was all about community, and the absence of walls in the health fitness center reflects just that. A white “ripple” wall pays homage to the Edward and Edith Parker Charitable Fund and positive affirmations such as “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” are strewn throughout. On a less visible but necessary note, a new HVAC system was installed to help clear the air so to speak.

Technology-driven equipment helps

members keep members accountable including the new EGYM, a 28-minute circuit that adjusts according to personalized biometrics, or what Martinez refers to as a digital personal trainer.

“It’ll even tell you your biological age,” he adds. “And the stronger you get, your biological age actually lowers.”

The new platform-based cycling studio incorporates a digital system that pairs color to strength allowing members to “spin by color.”

“The new cardio machines are now leased in order to stay on point with evolving upgrades,” says Rosemary Linder-Day, vice president of marketing and membership.

CHANGING TIMES

Cool features aside, Martinez refers to the open space concept as the North Star behind the redesign, but the true call to action really came in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Martinez came on board in 2020, fired up and ready to bring a holistic approach to wellness. Then along came the pandemic, followed by the lockdown, and the global division that ensued.

In a backwards kind of way, this world moment energized Martinez even more. As the world and Y began to reopen, member feedback was taken very much to heart and was

paramount to effecting the change.

“If we were to succeed post-Covid, we had to meet the needs of the community,” he says. “And we had to foster a sense of just that: community.”

What better way to create connectivity than by breaking down barriers across the physical and demographic divide where design meets functionality? As a result, the walls fell victim to the wrecking ball, leaving a clean slate in which to populate with updated machines, and equally as important, a bridging of the generational divide.

The health and fitness center now allows children as young as 12 to join

their parents and work out side-byside, says Linder-Day.

From the last wall standing, to the first calibration of a new machine, the reboot took about six months to complete. In keeping disruptions to a minimum, there was a bit of reshuffling involved.

Pickleball was diverted to Camp Rickabear in Kinnelon, and basketball took the game outside to make room for the temporary gym on the courts. With the exception of a two-week period before the grand reopening, the facility stayed open and coexisted with the construction.

The massive redesign was made possible through investment revenues, donors from the corporate and member realms, and a competitive bidding process that stayed within their budget and vision.

“No membership dues were used for the renovations,” says Linder-Day.

The renovations continued upstairs in the new Mind Body Spirit center, where members can be found unrolling mats in preparation for a yoga class. The center comes complete with signage and zen-like forestry print on the walls.

A new Wellness Office offers member and community access to nursing providers as well as a registered dietician for nutrition support.

OFFERINGS

To the tune of the more things change, the more they stay the same, a Y membership still includes 90 classes a week, and half a dozen or so specialized healthy living programs such as Live Strong, Power Through Parkinson’s, and Cardiac Care Maintenance, tailored to chronic disease prevention.

Additional fees still apply for personal training or small group fitness, but there’s newly dedicated Fitworks space for those as well.

In taking the reins of mental health, the Y joined forces with Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon for a special youth resiliency program that incorporates snowboarding and workshops designed to help teens develop coping skills such as perseverance, resilience, and social emotional learning.

For young soccer enthusiasts looking to up their game or get in the spirit

of the World Cup, The Juventus Academy of New Jersey offers alllevel professional level coaching. The program is based on the professional Juventus Soccer Team in Italy and is open to children ages 5 to 17 who have a current membership.

Future forward in nature and impactful in breadth and depth, this is not the first time the Y went under the knife. A smattering of smaller projects has taken place in the past few years, such as the top-to-bottom rebuild of the swimming pool, a grant-supported Science and Arts Studio, new elevator, and a complete glow up of the Welcome Center to encourage lingering.

“The Welcome Center is like a Mountain Lakes living room,” he says. “We wanted to create a space for the community to gather, grab a cup of coffee, sit and catch up.”

This space also serves as a hot spot for community groups such as mahjong enthusiasts, knitting groups, or even book clubs.

In addressing childhood obesity or simply to reinforce healthy living habits, personal training is available for children ages 7 to 14.

“It’s not really about the weight you lose; it’s about how you feel,” Martinez adds.

“You get a lot,” he says, referencing the classes and programs built into the membership, not to mention the generational inclusion piece.

In addition to the “more than gym and swim” tagline, Martinez likes to say that the Y is transformational, not transactional: ”We want to be Cheers in spirit,” he says. “We want to build community and give people a space that they take pride in.”

BACK IN TIME:

Steeped in over 100 years of history, the Lakeland Hills Family YMCA first organized in 1912 in Boonton. Up until the Great War, it immersed young men and boys in religious-based programs and campaigns. The association opened official doors at 512 Main St. and paid $20 a month in rent to Harry M. Ball.

During the war, the Y served as the hub of fundraising on behalf of different welfare organizations and still does. The association relocated to Fanny Road in 1972.

A

Boonton Township’s Big Reveal

new town hall puts history at the helm.

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE

THERE’S PLENTY OF history in Boonton Township, including the new but old municipal building and police headquarters, which was the subject of a well-attended New Year’s Eve day ribbon cutting ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the unveiling of Boonton Township’s new town hall.

Four years in the making, the project involved renovating the existing municipal building, which served as the historic Powerville School for nearly a century. The makeover addressed aging infrastructure, safety improvements, accessibility for seniors and residents with disabilities, and a new police headquarters.

Morris County Commissioner and Boonton Township Municipal Clerk Doug Cabana escorted us for a tour of the new digs. During our tour, he stood in one of the new conference rooms, where a snapshot of a red barn livens up the wall. “This room was two classrooms,” he said of the previous use of the space.

In total and in keeping pace with a growing population, Powerville School

peaked at nine classrooms before closing doors altogether in 1968. The township assumed total occupancy in the early 1970s.

Cabana was instrumental in pitching the revival of the historical aesthetic, but it took a team of contractors and Laker architect Mike Coan to make the revival happen.

In addition to the new conference room, the renovation includes a glowup of the main meeting room complete with the Boonton Township seal. The insignia features the Powerville Dam and the date that the municipality was established: 1867.

“The township was originally a part of Pequannock Township,” says Cabana.

The main meeting room, in addition to township business, will also serve as communal space for non-political groups such as The Rockaway Valley Garden Club, book clubs, scouting groups and more. The new police station is also located on the main level.

One flight down leads to a smaller conference room, and the basement houses a community room, which will

serve as a lending library, computer access hub, and space to host programs during the summer, such as story hours.

In addition to no traffic light, Boonton Township is also void of a library and municipal trash pickup. Cabana considers these as perks that help manage property taxes and puts the residents in charge of selecting their own private trash collectors. The Morris County Library in Whippany is at their full disposal, or they can become fee-based members of the Mountain Lakes Public Library.

The K-8 school district is represented by Rockaway Valley School. Students attend Mountain Lakes High School, as opposed to Boonton High School.

The name Boonton originated from David Ogden, an ironworks proprietor circa 1761, who referred to the region as Boone-Towne, in honor of Thomas Boone, the British Colonial Governor of New Jersey.

The township also claims fame for having served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, which operated through The Powerville Hotel. The

Despite the renovation, Boonton’s Town Hall still leans into its historical roots with the original bell and photographs of days past adorning the inside.

building still stands, only in apartment form.

For the most part, the township has stayed true to its rural character and still relishes in its agricultural roots as evidenced by a number of preserved farms and historical markers: Among them Wayside, Lone Oak and Valley.

To date, the township boasts 4200 residents but the jury’s out on the remaining number of cows.

Cabana tells us more about the renovation and township history.

Where was township business conducted during the renovation?

The Township offices and police department were housed in two 60’x24’ trailers on the front lawn during construction. Our court was held in Montville.

So, we have to ask the obvious–how was the project funded?

The project was mostly funded from the cannabis tax revenue. It cost about $11 million.

What

about cannabis?

The township is home to a cannabis agricultural site, which is a year-round working farm.

Fun-fact: The operators opened shop as a purveyor of medical marijuana in 2020. This was before the public approved recreational and retail use on the ballot. The business does not operate an on-site dispensary.

Who would you say were the most historical influences in developing the township?

During the Revolutionary era, the township was known for its iron mining, and dairy farming, then the Morris Canal, which paralleled the Rockaway River with locks at Powerville.

In the 1920s, the township played a part in the development of modernday aviation with the development of instrument only flying at Radio Frequency Lab and Aircraft Radio Corp. in Rockaway Valley.

Fun fact: Boonton Township boasts a ‘first in flight status,” as in the first successful instrument-driven “blind flight” take-off and landing that used RFL technology. The flight was made by war hero Gen. James Doolittle at the Rockaway Valley Aerodrome, which is now home to Rockaway Valley Fields (RVA) which includes a namesake playground: Doolittle’s Landing.

You mentioned the Lone Oak from the Kincaid Farm. Tell us about Kincaid.

Oscar Kincaid contributed to the township’s agricultural boon, cultivating his property into a successful dairy, vegetable, and poultry farm, plus an ice cream stand.

Kincaid would go on to serve two-terms as the township’s mayor and championed for farmland preservation across all of Morris County. His homestead serves as the headquarters for the Boonton Township Historical Society.

BOOK NOOK

For the Love of Books

Short, sweet, and to the point: From a thriller to ancient history, we’ve got you covered.

FICTION

KIN

by Tayari Jones

Two childhood best friends bonded by motherless childhoods reunite as adults, shaped by their formative experiences in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Meet Vernice and Annie. Same town, different upbringings.

Coming of age under the care of her aunt and a stable home, Vernice heads off to college where she joins a sisterhood of connected Black women who open her eyes to affluence, aspiration, manners, and inequality.

Traumatized by the abandonment of her own mother, Annie ventures out to fill the void left in the wake of maternal absence. In her quests for fulfillment and self-discovery, she encounters peril and adversity, love and adventure, and a battle between life and death.

From the award-winning author of “An American Marriage,” Kin explores the theme of mothers and daughters, friendship, and sisterhood putting a lens on the Black female experience in the South.

THE ASTRAL LIBRARY

by Kate Quinn

Scarred by a childhood spent in the foster care system, Alexandria Alix Watson found comfort in books instead of people. With a three-job hustle to make ends meet, Alix takes refuge in the reading room at the Boston Public Library seeking solace between the pages of fantasy novels until she encounters a hidden door and meets the librarian, the guardian angel over the books that serve as shelter for all those who are lost.

IT’S NOT HER

by Mary Kubica

A lake-resort vacation turns

wayward when a double murder and missing person enter the picture and family is at the heart of it all. Courtney Gray finds her brother and sister-inlaw dead in their cottage, and her niece is nowhere to be found. As the police investigate the resort, family secrets bubble to the surface and the town has some skeletons of its own.

CLEOPATRA

by Saara El-Arifi

In this first-person-ish tell all, the queen unpacks her life and place in history as the last pharaoh of Egypt who fought to retain her country’s independence during the rise of the Romans. Cleopatra also forms strategic and romantic alliances with both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, giving the story just enough thrilling romance for the Valentine’s Day season.

PHOTO OP

STATION RENOVATION

IT’S FULL STEAM ahead for the restoration of the Mountain Lakes Train Station roof, which succumbed to a fire in 1920. The project entails the installation of originallike clay tiles and is made possible by the efforts of the Mountain Lakes Historical Preservation Committee, which secured a $433,520 grant from the Morris County Historical Preservation Trust Fund. The borough received an additional $270,950 from the New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund.

The stone and concrete station, which now houses the popular The Station at Mountain Lakes eatery, debuted in 1912 and provided service to New York Citybound residents who would transfer in Hoboken. The station removed the hassle of taking a trolley to the Boonton line. The station remained operational until the mid-20th century. The borough then purchased the property and leased it to the restaurant. According to Laker and historical preservation committee chairman Ranjan O. Bose, the project should be completed in the next few months.

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