Dear Neighbor,
The NW Resiliency Park Athletic Field Opened on Monday!
Monday afternoon, our community came together for a celebratory ribbon-cutting at the multi-purpose athletic field at 12th and Jefferson, just in time for the spring season!
Mayor Bhalla cuts the Ribbon!
As your Councilman, I have worked closely with Environmental Services Director Jennifer Gonzalez the past three years, implementing construction schedules, answering your questions, and updating the neighborhood on the progress of the field. That this beautiful new field is complete is a testament to the progress we have made together, and signifies a major milestone for the Fifth Ward and our community – fulfilling the promise I made to many of you, to help provide the support and resources necessary to make our vision a reality.
Even before my election to the City Council, I advocated for this land to be community space, as a member of the Rebuild by Design Community Advisory Group and before, as an engaged 5th Ward resident who attended numerous community meetings supporting Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s vision to acquire the former “Henkel site” for community open space, and then, to build a resiliency park.
Working on the City Council, which allocates and authorizes funding for park projects, I verified with our financial experts that the park will be responsibly funded by Hoboken’s and Hudson County’s Open Space Trust Funds, FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, and low interest financing with principal forgiveness from the NJ infrastructure bank, minimizing the impact on our municipal budget for years, and maximizing your tax dollars.
Enhancing the City’s Recreation Programs
I have worked closely with the Administration to provide resources necessary to bolster our popular kids’ recreation programs, and adding this field is a game-changer — providing first rate facilities to meet a rapidly growing demand.
One of the First Practices for our Little League Teams
The City’s Recreation Division Head, Jessica Lezcano, has impressively modernized our recreation programming. With this new field, the Recreation Division is adding program hours and reducing wait times for little league, softball, lacrosse, soccer, and more. But, that’s not all - adults who participate in recreation leagues, such as Hive Athletic, are also enjoying field time. So kids and adults benefit from our open spaces.
An Adult Kickball Team Enjoys the Field
Addressing Neighborhood Questions about the NW Resiliency Park
I have received a number of residents’ questions and concerns about the new park. As with anything new, there is always a learning curve, and improvements can be made. I am actively working with the City to address these issues. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com.
Field Security
The field is completely fenced and generally will open from 6 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week. During the hours the field is closed, all entrances will be locked, and all field lights will be turned off. Further, the City will install security cameras throughout the NW Resiliency Park.
Field Lighting
The City’s design team has implemented a lighting plan for the NW Resiliency Park so that the lighting is directed towards the fields and away from residences. An important feature of the City’s lighting plan is that the lighting is adjustable. Some residents have asked me whether the field lighting can be adjusted to be less impactful on their homes. After hearing these concerns, the City has already dimmed the lighting, and the City has scheduled a meeting with its lighting contractor to consider more lighting design modifications.
Field Noise
Some neighbors told me that Monday night the kickball leagues were noisy. In turn, I reached out to the City as well as the contractor that runs the kickball league to share these concerns. Although the City had considered keeping the field open until 11:00 pm, after hearing my feedback, Mayor Bhalla determined the field will close at 10:00 pm. Additionally, the City contractor assured me that going forward amplified speakers will not be used during kickball games, and kickball umpires will not use whistles.
With Craig Guy and Councilman Ramos at the Ribbon-Cutting
What’s Next?
Mark your calendars for June 12, 2023 at 11:00 am!
Please join me and members of our community for the official grand opening of the entire NW Resiliency Park. We will celebrate a ribbon-cutting for what will be the City’s largest park — complete with a basketball court, splash pad, play areas, community center, café, passive green spaces, a new flood pump, and infrastructure to retain, and discharge, 2 million gallons of rainwater — putting the “resiliency” in the NW Resiliency Park!
Great things are coming to the 5th Ward, and I couldn’t be prouder of our progress to make Hoboken an even better place to live, work or raise a family.
Sincerely,
Phil Cohen
Hoboken City Councilman
Hoboken, New Jersey
HobokenPhil@gmail.com
(862) 234-9053
P.S. You can stay up to date by following me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. If you have any questions or concerns, or I can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com.
