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4 Anonymous Users
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Just can't stay away
 
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I also want to say that I think the process was well done and I think the park is looking great and can't wait until next summer.
Additionally jennymayla, how did you get "head bitch" into your profile? Is that solely the product of frequent posting? Cause I think it's funny either way.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 17:19
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
 
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Thank you Althea! Perfectly said.
It's a high quality problem to have, that Hamilton Park renovation. Thanks for the perspective.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 16:51
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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Just to add to what Parkman said. The architects were pretty clear going into this that normally they just design a park with no input from the community. What you get is what you get.
To HPNA's credit they set an amazing example as to why the City would WANT to reach out to community groups as active participants. This was an incredible process and one which the HPNA pulled off flawlessly in my eyes. They addressed each concern as it rose with concern and intelligent response; all the while working in harmony with the various City divisions to press for the needs of the community first. Seriously, bravo! I understand the concerns people have. I understand that there is anxiety over certain aspects of the construction. However, given the constant updates on the particulars of the park and its progress by the HPNA, there is little doubt in my mind as to this being one of the most engaged and finest of neighborhood associations in the whole City. I love my own community and wouldn't think of living anywhere else, but the children in my neighborhood play in the street. You are certainly valid in expressing your concerns; I only wish my community had those concerns. I think those living in the Hamilton Park area are extremely lucky. The mayor and his administration do care for the downtown area and do care about the future of the park. Your council person fought very hard along with the HPNA to make sure the voice of the community drove this renovation. Again, I wish my community were so lucky and I look forward to enjoying the park once it is complete. So bravo HPNA, I look forward to the spring when despite sour grapes we will all be enjoying a new park that was worth waiting for.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 16:37
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soshin: Mention guns and bd pops up through a hole in the ground like a heavily armed meercat
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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I don't think the HPNA could have done anything more to get this process moving along. Mayor Healy has no love for Downtown JC. The money to get the project moving had to be obtained partially from the Developers of Hamilton Square. There was no way the mayor or council was going to pony up all the money needed for completion. That said, some of the work does look cheap. I also worry that the city will make little or no effort to maintain the park beyond picking up the garbage.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 16:08
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Just can't stay away
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for what it's worth I think the park looks good...not perfect but so much better than before.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 14:35
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
Joined:
2008/2/19 19:39 Last Login : 2018/2/27 11:11 From Hamilton Park
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Thanks for all the work you guys do. I wish that I could be more active in my community but at this time it is simply not feasible. Look forward to actively participating in the near future.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 5:42
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
Joined:
2005/7/14 18:51 Last Login : 2018/12/12 21:42 From on van vorst park
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515
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The individuals complaining should get involved and make their concerns known to the city and not put the onus back on the HPNA. If you want more plants and flowers, volunteer to plant and maintain them, get involved in keeping the dog runs safe and organized, join parents groups in order to have events in the park for your children, and set up a conduit from the community with the parks department to get these things accomplished?time to stop leaving everything up to others and then criticizing them when it does not meet your expectations.
Posted on: 2009/11/17 3:23
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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Hence the term "haters". Some people are just haters and they hate on everything. My guess is because they hate themselves and their lives. They amble through life with low self esteem and bitterness for what ever reason. Typically, they have very low emotional intelligence (EQ) and are often passed up for promotions at work despite the fact they may have the competence to perform at a higher level. But their miserable personalities keep them back because they are unable to motive people to act since they're such miserable haters. We could have the best park in the world, designed by a world's leading architect and some of these people would still be hating on it.
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Posted on: 2009/11/17 2:13
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Not too shy to talk
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I've never heard such a bunch of miserable cranks in all my life. If you weren't sitting around all day complaining and kvetching you'd actually have to go out and get a life. For starters no one stops to consider the alternative of this park renovation...they didn't have to do it! We could have been stuck with that eyesore of a park for the next 25 years. It had awful lighting, black asphalt pathways, overgrown trees and shrubbery, busted up sidewalks, NO dog runs (unless you count the tennis courts), tacky gardens and ugly overgrown fire bushes. Instead we are getting so far, because IT'S NOT FINISHED, tastefully done stamped pathways, better space layout, 2 dog runs, upgraded drainage of rain water so we don't have mud fields, great new benches that are not broken down wood, new garbage cans, new tennis court fencing, and a really nice (didn't say great) kids playground, new lighting and security cameras. Do you really think kids care when they are playing if it's metal (which sounds dangerous) or plastic? Doubt it. People are complaining about plants that were removed but have no idea what plants and flowers are going to be put in their place. If anything were really worth saving, and would actually help trim their budget, I believe they would have left it alone. Let's save the judgements for after the park is completed. Check the design plans, and if they have done an egregious deviation from those plans, then call the city. Otherwise use your energy to be more productive, don't spend your time hating, learn a trade!
Posted on: 2009/11/17 1:45
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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I'm not at all surprised by 2DogDoll's refusal to answer that question directly. She's probably a little embarrassed for giving in to her irrational knee jerk urge to make such a vial comment,yet refuses to apologize. While I do only suspect I know who she is, I'm still disappointed she lacked the dignity to speak to individuals about these concerns when she's them in the park. It is abundantly clear her ego is wounded since the lame ass gardens in those hideous bunkers were torn down at the request of the vast majority of the Jersey City residents who participated in the balloting process.
It's people like 2DogDoll who take no active role in community initiatives, yet aggressively attack others who only to take away their spirit. A real class act. Quote:
Posted on: 2009/11/16 22:27
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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I, for one, am still waiting for 2DogDoll's answer to this question. She threw out the accusation, and then even curiouser, follows it up not with a straight answer, but by saying that political "connections" are essential in getting things accomplished. *facepalm* How's Minnie doing, by the way?
Posted on: 2009/11/16 21:22
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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I recall the plantings were supposed to be left intact, but anyone who has ever renovated knows no plan survives contact with the enemy, er, contractor.
2DogDoll, HPNA consists of nothing but your neighbors who try and help to limit of their valuable time and abilities. No one is infallible, and the amount of work put in by a very few people (including Sam) is staggering. Get off your righteous horse, people volunteering their precious time don't deserve your slagging. I don't recall anytime in the last decade any HPNA member being turned away from joining the HPNA board. Give it a try. Or at least be understanding, if your own life is too busy, how hard it is for the people who do put themselves out.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 21:17
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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When you called them ass kissers and suck ups.
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Posted on: 2009/11/16 20:56
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Quite a regular
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Exactly where did I trash my neighbors?
I simply questioned the role and function of the HPNA.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 20:49
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Quite a regular
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So, if I, the individual, am supposed to be the vigilant watchdog, pray tell, what exactly is the role of the HPNA?
Wasn't it the HPNA that pushed this process through? It stands to reason that some oversight mechanism should have been put into place by the Association? Even if that mechanism was to simply ask people in the neighborhood to keep an eye on things and advise on the progress. Besides, isn't the Association supposed to be using its COLLECTIVE power for the community good? Who in the JC "leadership" is going to listen to an individual who has no political connections and no money to buy some? And yes, I am a genuinely concerned citizen.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 20:46
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Home away from home
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But other than griping on this board and criticizing your neighbors who volunteered their free time, you made no follow up inquiries nor alerted anyone on what seemed to be deviations from the published plan, to people who may have recognized as being active in the process including your local government leaders????
You may not be on the board, but you are ostensibly a genuinely concerned citizen, a taxpayer and a neighbor. There are more productive ways of using your keyboard than trashing your neighbors. Quote:
Posted on: 2009/11/16 20:25
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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Good point DC. Quote:
Posted on: 2009/11/16 19:27
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Quite a regular
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Right outside my door.
I am not on the Board but I did participate in the process. I paid my dues, answered the surveys and actively encouraged everyone who would listen to do the same, gave out some flyers, and attended all major park renovation meetings. Maybe that is why I feel so angry and betrayed. What did you do?
Posted on: 2009/11/16 19:26
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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May I ask which politicians were being sucked up to and which developers were being ass kissed and by which HPNA members or board members? Quote:
Posted on: 2009/11/16 19:26
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Just can't stay away
Joined:
2009/2/22 2:42 Last Login : 2011/7/30 19:58 From Italian Village
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Posts:
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but where was the HPNA? After all those surveys and meetings where is the community organization oversight? Why aren?t they protecting the interests of the community and the integrity of the park. Let?s see: maybe if the HPNA wasn?t so busy sucking up to the politicians and a$$-kissing developers, they cwuld have done the right thing by this old park. End of Rant. the better question....where were you?
Posted on: 2009/11/16 19:04
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Quite a regular
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The absolute worst part of this park mutilation is the complete removal of the decades ?old plantings around the gazebo. I agree the growth needed trimming but it was lovely. Roses. Day lilies. Irisis. Cottoneasters. Nicotias. Rhodadendrums. All gone. Tears come to my eyes when I see the naked walls around the gazebo. All that's left of this lovely setting is a grey wall. It looks naked. What a perfect site for some nasty graffiti.
I tried to stay positive but now I get so angry at the mess made of this park renovation that I just want to scream and I am definitely looking for someone to blame. Not that it will do any good, but where was the HPNA? After all those surveys and meetings where is the community organization oversight? Why aren?t they protecting the interests of the community and the integrity of the park. Let?s see: maybe if the HPNA wasn?t so busy sucking up to the politicians and a$$-kissing developers, they cwuld have done the right thing by this old park. End of Rant. It is just SO heartbreaking to watch on a daily basis.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 18:56
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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This is what you get when your city makes most of it's revenue dissapear into a "unions & contracting" black hole and only leaves scraps for serving the people. You get the cheapest possible crap for the parks, like the fountain also.
This tasteful playground was in Presidio Heights, San Francisco. Sometimes you get what you pay for, just not in JC.
Click on thumbnails for full images
Posted on: 2009/11/16 17:08
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
Joined:
2005/12/12 22:14 Last Login : 2013/9/9 13:46 From Intersection of Venerated @ Ensconced
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My wife and I drove past it yesterday after being out of town on vacation and thought the same. That's a whole lot of pretty fugly plastic and it seems quite a bit higher than the other "play areas" in the downtown parks. I guess it could be worse... it could be orange and yellow instead of beige and hunter green. 
Posted on: 2009/11/16 15:52
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"Dogs are our link to paradise." - Milan Kundera
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Quite a regular
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Tooooo bad the truck didn't knock over that hideous play area. Now that would be an improvement!
Posted on: 2009/11/16 15:37
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
Joined:
2007/6/27 22:27 Last Login : 2012/4/20 14:33 From Hamilton Park
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Registered Users
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235
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A pickup truck crashed into the fence sometime before Sunday morning. I saw the crew from Greene construction putting the fence back up Sunday morning and someone tending to the banged up pickup truck. Interestingly, there were no cops around, so the accident could have happened much earlier.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 15:14
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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On the bright side, maybe they ate the toxic dirt.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 14:41
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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Looked like the PPV Boxing Match got some people all riled up. Numb-skulls.
Posted on: 2009/11/16 0:34
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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I'm the first one to admit that JC people usually settle for less, as in the case of that Newark Ave renovation, and I'll also admit that, at this point, the fountain looks a little cheesy. However, I thought the fountain is supposed to look like the one that was there 100 years ago. I've seen pictures of the old fountain, and it looks like it was pretty small. Does anyone know if this is the reason that the new fountain is so tiny?
Posted on: 2009/11/1 12:10
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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You're right. Let's settle for less again.
Posted on: 2009/10/31 2:38
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Re: Hamilton Park Renovation - Update
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Home away from home
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They've put the benches around the fountain, and I, for one, think it looks nice. I just don't know... People complain about high property taxes, yet they expect Central Park. I'm very excited about our newly refurbished park.
Posted on: 2009/10/30 22:42
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