Honoring those who pushed for park

Reservoir Alliance rewards activists, preservationists

Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter staff writer 07/13/2007

RECEIVING AN HONOR ? Jersey City City Councilman Mariano Vega was honored along with several honors at a gala event on May 14 for Reservoir No. 3. Standing with Vega (second right) is Steve Latham (far left), Laura Skolar (second left) and Cynthia Hadjiyannis (far right), all of the Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance. A gala benefit for Reservoir No. 3 in Jersey City was held at the Liberty House Restaurant in Jersey City last month.

The $125-per-guest dinner and awards ceremony honored supporters of the 137-year-old reservoir, located off Summit Avenue in the city's Heights section. For several years there has been a debate between those who wanted to see the city-owned reservoir developed into passive recreation, and others who preferred active recreation.

In February, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy announced his decision to develop the 13.5-acre reservoir as a passive park.

Healy was honored, along with: City Councilman Mariano Vega, Joshua Parkhurst of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, Steve Latham of the Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance, Jersey City businessman Michael Yun, local resident and activist Nikki Sirken, Capt. Bill Sheehan of the Hackensack Riverkeeper, and the Hoboken Cove Boathouse.

City Councilman Steven Fulop also received accolades for his $3,000 donation to the Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance.

The Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance, a volunteer organization that was one of the organizers of the event, has documented the history of the reservoir and applied to the city for permits to conduct tours there and remove debris.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com