27-June-2026
On Friday-26-June the Borough of Bogota held a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new Community Recreation Center in Olsen Park. This replaced the old Recreation Center that served the Borough for many decades.
Part of creating a new center can be traced back to the early 2010’s when then Mayor Pat McHale said, in open Council that an indoor basketball court would be a useful addition to the building.
In 2016 the River Development Corporation was approved to redevelop the former Hess/Sifford Ford site along W. Ft. Lee Rd., part of this plan was to have a Community Enhancement fund established.
Over the years a number of designs and locations for the new building were planned. When it was determined the new structure would be built on the site of the current building, it would become the Bogota Community Center. This was to show that the building will be used by all residents of the Borough.
In 2024, under Mayor Ms. Daniele Fede, a design and budget were approved. With a groundbreaking ceremony on 30-Apri-2025.
At the start of the opening ceremony, Borough Administrator Mr. Conall O’Malley talked about one of the main goals as new Borough Administrator was to construct this building. He then introduced Mayor Fede. She accepted a number of Proclamations from Federal and local elected officials. The first was from US Congressman Josh Gottheimer, then from New Jersey State Senator Gordon Johnson and State Representatives Ellen Park and Shama Haider. Finally, a proclamation from Bergen County was presented by Commissioner Rafael Marte.
In her speech Mayor Fede thanked the elected officials, contractors, and the workers for all their work to have this structure to be open in 14 months from the groundbreaking.
Next Councilwoman Lisa Kohles talked about how working with other Borough officials, with the Council to improve Bogota. Saying that with the cooperation of the Board of Education to refurbish the Softball and Baseball fields as part of the Bogota Sports Complex. She called it the first phase of upgrading the Olsen Park area. The Community Recreation Center marks the opening of the second phase. With the third phase is the planning to improve the Basketball and Tennis courts and the area around the band stand.
Then Councilman John Mitchell talked about the need for a better building to serve both the Students in Bogota, and all residents in the Borough. Next Councilwoman Consuelo Carpenter read the text that will be on the plaque commemorating the opening of the Community Recreation Center.
The officials then moved to the front door to cut the ribbon to officially open the new building.
The Center has a reception desk on the right as people enter in the front door, as part of the Recreational Directors office. Then to the left is the entrance to the Gymnasium, which has a court for Volleyball, Basketball with a retractable movie screen and projector. Walking straight from the gym a Multi-purpose Conference room is on the left. Through a set of doors, the Restrooms are on the left and access to the Kitchen on the right. Next to that is a Food Service window for the concession stand. With an outside window to serve people in the park. The Kitchen is equipped with grills, deep-fryers, hotdog rollers, and freezers for Ice Cream. There is also space for food storage and preparation.
A second door is open to Olsen Park with a seating area in front of the concession window.
The parking lot can hold 15 vehicles with a handicap parking space.
The Center will be open for the 2026 Summer Camp on Monday 29-June.
On Friday-26-June the Borough of Bogota held a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new Community Recreation Center in Olsen Park. This replaced the old Recreation Center that served the Borough for many decades.
Part of creating a new center can be traced back to the early 2010’s when then Mayor Pat McHale said, in open Council that an indoor basketball court would be a useful addition to the building.
In 2016 the River Development Corporation was approved to redevelop the former Hess/Sifford Ford site along W. Ft. Lee Rd., part of this plan was to have a Community Enhancement fund established.
Over the years a number of designs and locations for the new building were planned. When it was determined the new structure would be built on the site of the current building, it would become the Bogota Community Center. This was to show that the building will be used by all residents of the Borough.
In 2024, under Mayor Ms. Daniele Fede, a design and budget were approved. With a groundbreaking ceremony on 30-Apri-2025.
At the start of the opening ceremony, Borough Administrator Mr. Conall O’Malley talked about one of the main goals as new Borough Administrator was to construct this building. He then introduced Mayor Fede. She accepted a number of Proclamations from Federal and local elected officials. The first was from US Congressman Josh Gottheimer, then from New Jersey State Senator Gordon Johnson and State Representatives Ellen Park and Shama Haider. Finally, a proclamation from Bergen County was presented by Commissioner Rafael Marte.
In her speech Mayor Fede thanked the elected officials, contractors, and the workers for all their work to have this structure to be open in 14 months from the groundbreaking.
Next Councilwoman Lisa Kohles talked about how working with other Borough officials, with the Council to improve Bogota. Saying that with the cooperation of the Board of Education to refurbish the Softball and Baseball fields as part of the Bogota Sports Complex. She called it the first phase of upgrading the Olsen Park area. The Community Recreation Center marks the opening of the second phase. With the third phase is the planning to improve the Basketball and Tennis courts and the area around the band stand.
Then Councilman John Mitchell talked about the need for a better building to serve both the Students in Bogota, and all residents in the Borough. Next Councilwoman Consuelo Carpenter read the text that will be on the plaque commemorating the opening of the Community Recreation Center.
The officials then moved to the front door to cut the ribbon to officially open the new building.
The Center has a reception desk on the right as people enter in the front door, as part of the Recreational Directors office. Then to the left is the entrance to the Gymnasium, which has a court for Volleyball, Basketball with a retractable movie screen and projector. Walking straight from the gym a Multi-purpose Conference room is on the left. Through a set of doors, the Restrooms are on the left and access to the Kitchen on the right. Next to that is a Food Service window for the concession stand. With an outside window to serve people in the park. The Kitchen is equipped with grills, deep-fryers, hotdog rollers, and freezers for Ice Cream. There is also space for food storage and preparation.
A second door is open to Olsen Park with a seating area in front of the concession window.
The parking lot can hold 15 vehicles with a handicap parking space.
The Center will be open for the 2026 Summer Camp on Monday 29-June.
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