INTRODUCTION

CIVIC JC is a non-partisan, community-based non-profit organization formed to promote good city government by disseminating information on key local issues, and by working with existing organizations to develop Jersey City’s potential as a “World Class City.” Improving our open space and recreational assets is one of our priority initiatives.

This report offers a number of targeted recommendations that focus on city-wide needs and specific projects that merit special mention and support. Many worthy projects and proposals are not mentioned, because we feel they are already well represented by other citizens’ groups. Members of our Board have attended all the recent community meetings with T&M Associates, and have consulted with numerous community open space leaders in the process of creating this report. Many of our Board members have considerable experience and expertise with open space and recreation issues.

OVERVIEW

By any measure, Jersey City faces a major-open space deficit. Very little new municipal park space has been created in living memory. We have relied on state and county acquisitions and improvements, and the City has done little to address the need for green space. Recreational sites have been built or improved, but much more active recreational space is needed.

The County’s Open Space Plan says that every citizen should be able to go out the door and take “a ten-minute walk to a park bench.” Studies show that park use goes up dramatically among citizens living near parks – which, of course, is only common sense. There have been some fine restorations of existing municipal parks in recent years, yet many neighborhoods remain underserved or lack any park space at all. There is a desperate need for small special recreational uses, particularly community gardens, swimming pools, and dog runs. There is a strong demand for increased baseball and soccer playing fields. One of the most popular park uses in the poll included in the County Open Space Plan is for nature trails and passive parks.

Meanwhile, one of the largest building booms in history goes on all around us. These major development projects bring great benefit to the City, yet on the score of providing new open space they are all woefully inadequate. The Lefrak development company has ignored promises to create green space in its sprawling Newport project and has reneged on an agreement to set aside a block for open space in its planned Tenth Street development. The Liberty Harbor North redevelopment includes only token green space. One source lists 49 sites – proposed, approved, or under construction – offering 10,000 new residential units and zero new green space. Speculators are buying up vacant property in underdeveloped neighborhoods and hoarding them in anticipation of a spreading housing boom. Consequently, neighborhood groups report there is no space available for projects like playgrounds, dog runs, and community gardens at any price.

Recently, another disturbing trend has been the pitting of groups seeking expanded recreational space against those advocating passive uses. While media attention has been focused on the simmering dispute between recreational and green space activists at the Reservoir #3 site, similar tensions swirl around park development plans in other neighborhoods. Mary Benson Park and Dr. Lisa Edwards Park are less high-profile examples. This is the most important open-space issue in the city. To allow these divisive battles to spin out-of-control is unacceptable. Space must be found to meet both recreational and green space needs – and it can be. Only recently, while courting the Jets to build a practice facility here, the City administration assured worried local sports teams that new sites for fields could be easily provided. The Jets moved on, but the need for sports facilities remains, and solutions can be found. Creating a balance of active and passive open space in all neighborhoods should be the theme of our green-space planning, and is an achievable goal.

CORE RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations either refer to city-wide issues, or are highest priority projects.

• Open Space Grants Writer: The City has an open space deficit, but it also faces a large budget deficit. The City needs a full- time, experienced grant writer, working on recreational and open space grants exclusively, who will aggressively compete for available dollars from state and federal sources. An Open Space Advisory Committee made up of Councilpeople, Parks department professionals, and qualified citizens should be established to enhanced communication and monitor open space funding.

• Supervision and Maintenance: New initiatives to maintain, supervise, and educate in parks are essential to the success of an upgraded parks program. Parks personnel must be visible participants in the daily activities of every park. Programs for children, young adults, and seniors must be significantly expanded. Volunteers and “friends of parks” groups should be mobilized to bring their commitment and energy to the effort of revitalizing and maintaining parks. In many neighborhoods, supervision supported by police presence is necessary to make parks safe and accessible to all citizens.

• Green Belt Circuit: The centerpiece of the City park system should be a green belt circuit traversing the heart of Jersey City. A continuous route is within reach, comprising riverfront walkways on the Hudson and Hackensack with the Harsimus Embankment and the East Coast Greenway serving as an east/west link on the north and a necklace of parks and bikeways linking Morris Canal greenways on the south.

• Green Incentives for Developers: Major development projects in Jersey City should be encouraged and required to include significant public green space in their plans. The days are long gone when building in Jersey City is a risky venture, yet developers are still treated to free passes they don’t deserve. Large- scale redevelopment plans that represent a change in use or density must be required to provide new green space in addition to green dollars.

• Education: Education and recreational programs must be expanded to serve a broader range of ages and interests. Formal educational programs such as ones offered at the interpretive center in Liberty State Park should be created for the other natural sites and community gardens throughout the city. Fitness clubs should be enlisted to provide a variety of scheduled free fitness activities.

• Active Recreational Facilities: The key site for providing desperately needed active recreation is the PJP landfill site. This underdeveloped site together with adjacent potential sites and the undeveloped portions of Lincoln Park West represent our best opportunity to provide active recreational facilities on the scale needed. With the county and city working together, there is room enough for a golf course, ball fields, and picnic areas along the Hackensack waterfront walkway.

• Preserving Unique Open Space Sites, The Harsimus Embankment and Reservoir #3: These two historic open space sites must be preserved and made accessible to the public. Both projects have broad community support and will provide multi-use all-season recreation once secured and properly rehabilitated. Both will have global tourist appeal commensurate with the “World Class City” concept. The Embankment project has already attracted major funding from state and federal sources and both sites have the potential to be self-sustaining.

• Tree Planting and Care: The planting and nurturing of street trees is a top priority in every neighborhoods. Many neighborhoods have conceded any chance of securing a park of their own and look to a dream of tree-lined streets as their only realistic opportunity to add an element of greenery to their quality of life. Civic groups are working with The New Jersey Tree Foundation and other sources to plant more trees. A Shade Tree Commission should be created and given broader power and resources to save threatened mature trees, remove unsafe trees, and plant and care for new trees.

SPECIFIC PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS

The following targeted recommendations describe high-priority program that in some cases have received little public attention. The emphasis is on providing city wide benefit and on focusing attention on underserved neighborhoods.

• Comprehensive Bike Lanes Program

A network of well-designed, well-marked, safe bike lanes would provide tremendous return in terms of quality-of-life benefit at relatively low cost. A system of on and off-road, protected bike lanes should be developed throughout the city. Major attention should be given to interconnecting bike routes and to knitting together far-flung city communities. The center core of this network should be the green circuit provided by the planned off-road paths of the Harsimus Embankment/Bergen Arches/East Coast Greenway initiative, the two river walkways, with a mix of park and on-road connections completing the southern leg of the loop.

• Municipal Open Space Tax

A city open space tax complementing the County tax recently approved by voters would provide some of the much needed revenue for acquisition, maintenance, and programs. Many municipalities throughout New Jersey have instituted this program. This is one tax that voters consistently support.

• Park-Based Community Policing

We endorse this proposal from the Jersey City Parks Coalition. Two police officers per shift should be assigned to each of the nine largest city parks. The tour would be divided between time spent in the park getting to know park goers and also touring the adjacent streets. By covering city blocks surrounding nine park communities, much of our City’s residential population would be policed on a full-time basis. This would reverse a situation that currently allows some of these parks to be a safe haven for vandals and drug dealing. Park-based policing would provide a structure for building strong cooperation between citizens and police.

• All-Weather Recreational Surfaces

All weather recreational surfaces provide flexibility of use and seasonal use that grass turf cannot. Baseball, football, soccer, and other sports field profiles can be overlapped providing flexible scheduling and saving space. Many municipal recreational facilities in Jersey City are managed by one organization that may exclude appropriate use by other local organizations. Some fields are rented to out-of-town leagues while local groups are locked out. Many of the recreational fields in Jersey City could be more creatively managed to add uses for adult leagues and multiple sports use while maintaining a high level of field condition.

• The Hudson and Hackensack River Walkway

Segments of the waterfront walkways need to be completed. The completion of continuous, public walkways on both rivers will benefit all, and the city must work in concert with other authorities to realize this common goal. On the Hackensack River side where much more remains to be done, picnic sites, playgrounds, and parking lots are required to attract people to a little traveled area.

• Swimming Pools

More municipal pools are needed for general recreation and for senior fitness classes.

• Dog Runs

The needs of dogs and dog owners are virtually ignored at this point. This situation is causing tremendous stress both on the grass cover in our parks, and confrontation between various park users, particularly dog owners and parents.
Sustainable dog runs should be built in designated existing parks. Supervision, rule enforcement, maintenance and strong community participation are all essential for dog-friendly parks to work. In addition, the City should acquire lots to be developed as dog runs at a distance from the larger parks. This will serve dog owners who live far from parks, and help to relieve the pressure on our already overtaxed green spaces.

• Community Gardens

Community gardens are an important open space resource that give much to the surrounding community and are currently getting little attention from municipal government. The recreational and educational benefits are unique and clear. The City should survey all existing community gardens and secure the property for viable gardens, by eminent domain if necessary. In addition, the City should work with community groups to establish community gardens on City-owned lots, particularly in underserved communities.

• Bayside Park (Garfield Avenue, Ward A)

The core of this beautiful park is the tree-lined upper park promenade and the carefully maintained Jackie Robinson Little League playing fields. Much needs to be done to bring the rest of the park up to the standard of the best parts. The northern wing of the park should be rehabilitated to include well-maintained, all- weather basketball courts, tennis courts, a children’s play area, and parking for ball games. Major improvements are needed on the restroom facilities, concession stand, bleachers, and dugouts. Improved lighting and security cameras are needed.

• The Bergen Arches (parallels the Rt. 1&9 covered roadway)

If “world class” attractions are sought for Jersey City, this abandoned railroad cut provides a unique and stunning opportunity to create one. When it was excavated this was the deepest man-made canyon in the world. Now it boasts an urban forest oasis filled with trees and birds living yards from some of the busiest streets and most heavily-traveled highways in the region. The Bergen Arches is a recommended segment of the East Coast Greenway and is northwest of the Harsimus Embankment and a few blocks from Reservoir #3.

• Dr. Lena Edwards Park (Johnson Avenue, Lafayette Section)

This small park is in need of a complete overhaul. Better lighting is a high priority. Bathrooms and parking are needed to accommodate the current basketball program and other community-based activities. Undeveloped areas on the southeast corner of the park could be used for a combination of parking and planted areas. Consistent supervision, security, and maintenance are essential to the success of this mostly recreational use neighborhood park.

• The East Coast Greenway

A key segment of the East Coast Greenway, a walk and bikeway running from Maine to Florida, is slated to follow a route through downtown Jersey City. The Harsimus Embankment and the Bergen Arches will be destination points on the Greenway attracting visitors regionally and beyond. The Greenway is being developed by a coalition of citizen volunteers and local and state governments up and down the East Coast. New Jersey is giving its strong support to this effort on the state level and our City government should continue to do all it can to make this plan a reality. An East Coast Greenway Alliance Blueprint for Action, funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, has Embankment acquisition as a 2006 priority.

• J. Owen Grundy Park (Exchange Place)

This waterfront pier park is a unique oasis for office workers at lunch time and for everyone, especially on hot summer nights. The Park has fallen into disrepair and needs a complete redesign and restoration effort to bring it up to its potential as a key destination on the Hudson River Walkway route.

• Mary Benson Park (Newark Avenue and Sixth Street)

This park was initially designed as a passive park, but currently has an undersized ball field shoehorned in the middle of it. The ball field is often rented to teams from other towns, while largely unavailable for use by local groups. The Mary Benson Park Association would like the ball field removed and replaced by benches and gardens, a playground, tennis courts, and a dog run. The existing bathroom facility should be refurbished for use by park visitors as well as Harsimus Embankment and East Coast Greenway users. With cooperation from the state and PSE&G, there is much potential for expanding this park to the west to include undeveloped open space adjacent to the turnpike extension. This space could be used for active recreation.

• Muhammad Ali Park (Van Nostrand Avenue, Ward A)

This recreational park is in extremely deteriorated condition. Rehabilitation should include all-weather basketball courts, a children’s playground and planted areas, and lighting. Strong fencing with lockable gates will be required. Key to success will be a partnership between local community groups and the City to promote and maintain a refurbished park.

• The Paulus Hook Waterfront Park Complex (Essex & Hudson Streets)

This densely-populated neighborhood with little local park space has prime waterfront lots ready to be developed as green space, a potential city showpiece that has languished in an unusable or neglected condition for years. Creative solutions for shaping Peninsula Park, Veterans Park, Colgate Park, and the Morris Canal Historic Site into a world class riverfront park is a landscape architect’s dream. A dog run, lighting, and a footbridge across the canal mouth are at the top of the wish list.

• The Reverend Ercel F. Webb Park (Lafayette Street, Lafayette Section)

This park sets an example for what can be accomplished when the City and community groups work together. It is a beautifully-designed park which serves its community well. There is also a cautionary tale to be heeded here as key elements necessary for the park’s long-term success need to be provided. Better lighting, a summertime irrigation system, and, most importantly, improved security are badly needed as they are in many parks across the city.