When faced with lots of money people often times make stupid decisions on their part. Such can be said about Valley Springs (Suntan Lake) in Riverdale New Jersey. At one point in history Valley Springs was a popular swimming resort, it consisted of HUGE cement pools constantly being filled with water from the natural underground springs. In the 70's and 80's and even into the early 90's Valley Springs was shall I say a "hip" place to hang out on a hot summer day. Along with the huge pools, there were also many water attractions such as water slides, tubes and what not. The land Valley Springs encompassed was huge, it is probably safe to say that the cement pools were the largest in New Jersey if not the entire East Coat. But as the 1990's wore on developers saw the land as not a swim resort but as money...a place to build things not needed such as stores and condos. Adventually the land developers started agreeing to pay the owner large amounts of money for the land surrounded by his swimming resort. The owner of the land finally gave in and Valley Springs was sold off to the greedy land developers in the late 1990's.

Almost immediately after the land was sold, demolition began and much of Valley Springs was destroyed for ever, that including the majority of the large pools. Today their stands a Home Depot, BJ's Whole Sale Club and Staples in the shadows where Sun Tan Lake once stood. What was left of the swimming resort was left to mother nature and left abandoned for years. Now for a second time construction has again started, this time endangering the little bit left of Valley Springs, in place for condominiums. Thankfully I arrived in time to photograph what is left of the resort. Sadly there was not much, some old retaining walls from what were the huge pools and a few slides that once entertained children of all ages. By mid 2007 there will be no trace of Valley Springs left, as the new Houses and condominiums will indefinitely engulf, what I have photographed.

It is interesting to think that if the Land owner had not sold off the resort, it could have very well been still here to this date and entertaining for future generations. But sometimes I guess money matters more to certain people than it does to others. And when faced with the burden of saving a land mark or taking the money, these "others" will; evidentially take the money and run.