Oradell to Consider Banner Ads at DPAC

Last month, Oradell Recreation Director Gina Reynolds and Recreation Committee Chairman Tom Neville first proposed selling banner ads along the fences at the Doug Parcells Athletic Complex to help bring in additional revenue. On Tuesday night, the duo returned to the Mayor and Council will additional information for their plan.

"We're proposing, as a test run, placing the banners on the north side fence at DPAC so that the backing of the banners would face into the woods," Reynolds said.

The testing period, if approved would have the signs be placed at DPAC by March 1 prior to the start of the spring recreation season with the banners bought and paid for by sponsors during the winter months.

"Some towns have a higher price for the first year of the banner and then a reduced cost for each annual renewal," Reynolds said. "In Dumont, they incorporate the cost into the renewal each year so that after three to five years, the banner can be replaced."

Reynolds and the committee looked into two options for the banners - a studier coroplast sign where the sponsor's design is printed directly on and a mesh version with a wind screen to limit the visual impact to DPAC patrons or the residents on Ridgewood Avenue.

To remain comprable to neighboring towns such as River Edge, Dumont and Westwood that also sell banner ads at their athletic fields, Oradell may look to start at an average cost of $300 but allow for a sliding scale based on location.

"Selling space is more esoteric than saying 'you go here' and 'you go there'," Neville said. "People's desire is to put their name out there in the prime real estate such as at the end zones during football and soccer season. We should have a systematic approach to where things are placed and priced at rather than say its $500 for a sign at DPAC."

Before any plan could be approved through for the banners, the Committee will continue to look into whether they could limit banners that promote cigarettes or political candidates, the exact material to be used (coroplast vs. mesh), prices and colors allowed on the banners.

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