Weekly Township Briefing for July 24, 2009

Township police roll out online bike registration program
Recovering stolen bicycles is one of the most difficult and frustrating tasks for our police department – often officers receive little more than a description of color and height. In an effort to improve the recovery rate of stolen bikes, we have put together a simple yet innovative registration program that we believe will make a big difference.

A digital bike registration form is now set up through the Township and Police Web sites, where bike owners or parents of bike owners can enter their information along with a unique serial number – much like a car’s vehicle identification number – located under the pedal crank. Spending a few minutes online registering a bike can save the police department hours of effort, and the database can be accessed from police cruisers so recovered bicycles that have been registered can be instantly found within the system and returned to the owner. Currently, the Township holds found bikes for 60 days before donating them to a local charity. I urge all of you to visit our Web site, www.cherryhill-nj.com to register your bikes today . Please call my office for more information at (856) 488-7878 or email me at MayorPlatt@chtownship.com.

Cherry Hill seeks to enter pedestrian-safety research program
It is obvious that driver compliance with pedestrian right-of-way laws is critical to ensuring the safety of those using crosswalks in Cherry Hill, and it is an issue our police department takes quite seriously. This attention to the protection of pedestrians has made the Township a target for a special research project on the effectiveness of enhanced enforcement efforts.

We have applied for the program, which is spearheaded by the National Highway Safety Administration through Western Michigan University (WMU). It would offer the CHPD a variety of countermeasures to discourage drivers from ignoring right-of-way laws in Cherry Hill, as well as provide ongoing technical support from the WMU team of experts.

In addition, WMU will provide $50,000 in start-up funds to our community to defray the costs of the program, such as the extra police hours needed to enforce and spotlight pedestrian safety laws. The goals, according to the WMU research team, are to change motorists’ behavior so fewer incidents occur at intersections, and to determine the efficacy and overall impact of a highly visible pedestrian decoy program. I will continue to keep you posted on the status of our application into this program, so stay tuned.

50th annual Cherry Bowl competition on tap for tomorrow
This Saturday, July 25, young athletes from all over Cherry Hill will compete in the 50th Annual Cherry Bowl Swim Meet at the Haddontowne Swim Club in partnership with Charleston Swim Club. More than 750 top athletes and 2,000 spectators will join us as the 13 neighborhood swim clubs of Cherry Hill share an exciting day of competition, sportsmanship and community. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to come out and support our dedicated swimmers beginning at 9 a.m. See you there!

Music Under the Stars concert series continues this Tuesday
Everyone’s invited on Tuesday nights for free concerts and fun under the stars. Bring a chair, blanket, and even a picnic dinner, and enjoy great music and good times on the grounds of one of our most popular historic sites. This Tuesday, July 28, will feature the Robert Murdock Band, which covers “British Invasion” songs of the 1960s, including music from The Zombies, Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Herman's Hermits, and The Beatles. The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Barclay Farmstead (209 Barclay Lane) . In case of inclement weather, concerts will be moved to the Barclay School (1220 Winston Way).

Music Under the Stars is presented by TD Bank with additional support from NJ TRANSIT, MY GYM of Cherry Hill, Comcast Cable and the Cherry Hill Mall.  For more information, please contact the Recreation Department at (856) 488-7868 or email: Events@CHTownship.com.

‘Tale of Two Cities’ one of two youth musicals this weekend
The Cherry Hill Township Recreation Department and Robert D. Nation are proud to present the productions of Disney’s “High School Musical” and “A Tale of Two Cities…A New Musical.”  Both shows are produced by Cherry Hill’s own Mr. Nation and will star Cherry Hill-area youth and teens who are participating in the Recreation Department’s Summer Theater Camp.

Show dates and times are: “High School Musical” - Friday, July 24, at 11 a.m.; Saturday, July 25, at 2 p.m.; Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. “ A Tale of Two Cities…A New Musical” will be shown at tonight – Friday, July 24, at 7:30 p.m. – and Saturday, July 25, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, July 26, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 per person ($10 for senior citizens with Cherry Hill Gold Card) and can be purchased at the Cherry Hill High School East Box Office (1750 Kresson Rd.) Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning Monday, July 20.  For more information please call the Rec office at (856) 488-7868 or email Events@CHTownship.com.


For up-to-the-minute updates on any subject, call my office at 856.488.7878 or visit our municipal Web site: www.CherryHill-NJ.com .

Sincerely,

Bernie Platt
Mayor