40thAnniversary

                        Long Hill Community Center Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

This year the Long Hill Community Center celebrates 40 years of service to the community.  Originally opened as the Passaic Township Youth Center Association in 1970, the Center was built by 330 volunteers led by former Police Chief, Howard Runyon.  The original mission of the Center “is to promote health, education, safety, morals and general welfare of the community by providing a place where supervised recreational activities can be conducted.”  The Center has always provided a space for community and private functions while also making adult and children’s programs available to the local residents.  Through the years, programs such as the YMCA pre-school and PEP Club for Moms & Tots as well as Township Recreation Committee dances were held at the Center.  For over 25 years the Center sponsored the well known and well respected gymnastics program, run by Glen Brown, which sadly ended just this past year.  Many original programs are still running such as the Adult co-ed volley ball and adult and senior Aerobics Dancing while the new Skyline Tennis program offers adult and children’s air conditioned tennis instruction throughout the year.

Looking back in its history, it was the Long Hill Community Center which originally organized the Long Hill Street Fair and the Long Hill Township “Run for Independence”.  Though the Center no longer is funded by the township, rental fees, charges for programs and fundraisers provide the means for cost of utilities, ongoing maintenance and insurance.  The Center is run by a group of 8 volunteers who organize the free Children’s Holiday Party every year along with the Fall Fest Antique Car Show, Tricky Tray and the past Antique Appraisal Road Shows and “Taste of Long Hill” wine tasting events.

Unfortunately, it was not cost effective to build on to the Center. However, the high cost of energy to heat and cool a gymnasium lends itself to investment in smarter energy upgrades. With the help of a loan through Millington Savings Bank and help from our many supporters through our fundraisers, the Center has installed new, energy efficient windows and is working to upgrade all of the lighting.  The future of the Center will focus on maintaining affordable programs needed by the community and a space for ongoing use by the residents of Long Hill Township.

Groundbreaking by Juliano Construction of Stirling which is still in business being run by his son.

Opening Ceremony 1970.