I was at a baseball game last week in Lincoln Park. I took a walk over the bridge that connects the two sections of the park over Rt 440(1&9). I took a look over at the golf course from the top of the bridge. It looks like Mars!!! No progress! Seems they are doing a lot of work on the waterfront between the 1&9 bridge and Duncan Ave. Maybe after that work is done they will coninue on the golf course.

If you want to see for yourself the Lincoln Park bridge is over by the track. You can drive up onto it for a look see.

I remember when PJP was literally on fire 24/7.
You would drive on the pulaski skyway sometimes and not be able to see,almost like a fog.It will be nice to have another waterfront.

http://www.noaa.gov/earthday/lincolnpark.html

Jersey City getting $600,000 from feds to make toxic former junkyards safe for park use
Saturday, April 24, 2010
By MELISSA HAYES
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency is getting $600,000 in federal funds to clean up Berry Lane Park.

U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez announced $2.3 million in federal Environmental Protection Agency brownfields grants yesterday, the 40th annual Earth Day celebration. Newark, Trenton and Camden also received funding.

"This type of investment means healthier families, and it means rebuilding our communities to spur economic growth," Menendez said in a statement.

The JCRA is getting $400,000 in hazardous substance funds to clean up parkland at 924-946 Garfield Ave. and 968 Garfield Ave. Both sites are former junkyards that are contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons and metals. Funds will be used to cap the contaminated sites and implement institutional controls.

The agency is also getting $200,000 in petroleum funds to clean up parkland at 990 Garfield Ave. The site was a gas station and is contaminated with petroleum and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Grant funds will be used to remove an above-ground storage tank and as many as five underground tanks and implement institutional controls.

"This federal funding will go a long way toward turning brownfields into clean fields and revitalizing New Jersey's urban centers," said Lautenberg, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health.

By Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal
April 23, 2010, 10:57AM

The vast sandy acres and deteriorated wetlands at Lincoln Park in Jersey City may not look like much.

But state, federal and local officials gathered in the shadow of the Pulaski Skyway yesterday for the 40th annual Earth Day and promised that the park will be dramatically different in the near future.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke toured the site, which is undergoing a 35 acre wetland restoration project with the help of $10.6 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds.

An adjacent 60-acre former landfill is being capped with dredge material from a channel near the Verrazzano Bridge in New York. Within two years that site will host a 9-hole golf course, the first public course in the county.

?Not only are coastal restoration projects like this one directly employing people, they are preserving the coastlines that are absolutely essential to America?s economy,? Locke said.

The wetlands restoration project is also getting an additional $4 million in other federal, state and local funds, Locke said.

The project received the most funding of the $167 million in stimulus allocated to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration for coastal and habitat restoration.

Carl Anderson, a marine restoration specialist with NOAA, said the wetlands restoration project will be mostly competed by October with final plantings going in next year.

He said dredge materials are being barged in, eliminated truck traffic through the city, to cap the former landfill which is contaminated with metals.

?We finally have a great, beneficial reuse project in the harbor,? he said. ?We kept carbon emissions down. We tried to keep a green footprint for the project.?

Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise credited a partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Army Corps of Engineers, which is doing the dredging, with providing clean fill and reducing the project cost by about 30 percent.

?It?s fitting that on Earth Day of all days, we celebrate the recycling, renewal and reuse of the very ground here beneath our feet,? he said.

The grant does not cover capping the landfill, which costs about $5 million or construction of the golf course which is estimated at $4 to $6 million. The golf course is set to be completed within two years. After that the county will install waterfront walkway.

Greg Remaud, deputy director of the NY/NJ Baykeeper, praised the project for restoring wetlands, which will bring back the tidal flow benefiting fish and wildlife.

He said while it would be nice to have the former landfill converted back to wetlands as well, it would be very costly to do so. Remaud said he was fine with that land becoming a golf course.

?We thought it was an excellent balance,? he said.

This is from the HCIA ?Seasons? Spring 2010 newsletter.....(might be typo?s)

(When I drive by the site now I don?t see much work going on along 1&9. I think they moved the work down to the waterfront section)


Lincoln Park West Hudson?s First Public Golf Course

The first stages in the construction of a new Executive Nine Hole Public Golf Course ? the first in Hudson County?s history ? are underway. The course, located in Lincoln Park West, will be designed on approximately 55 acres of available, underutilized land, adjacent to Duncan Avenue, Routes 1&9 and the Hackensack River in Jersey City.

Hudson County, in conjunction with NJ DEP and the US Army Corps of Engineers, has undertaken a major Wetlands Restoration Project in the area, near the site of the former Lincoln Park Driving Range. In addition, the NJ DEP has approved the county?s plan to address closure requirements for a former residential waster landfill adjoining the restoration project.

Work has begun to complete the environmentally-responsible remediation and redevelopment plan, with delivery of large quantities of sand to the site to be used for both the wetlands restoration and landfill closure. The landfill closure plan requires capping of the site, with the top portion of the capping consisting of the golf course.

It is anticipated that the duration of both projects will be between 18-24 months. The course itself will contain 3 par five holes, 3 par four holes and 3 par three holes, with a total yardage of approximately 3200 yards.



PS ? here is a link to the www.nj.com golf site.. maybe you can get some information on other courses.. it also has a golf forum.

http://www.nj.com/golf/

Neverleft,

Any word from the workers on an opening date? Quote:

If you have a car there is also a driving range in Roseland run by Essex County. Still mats and still covered. But on off peak hours it is not too far away and less crowded than Edgewater.

There is a driving range in Edgewater, but it tends to get a bit crowded. I'm not a fan of covered tee areas. Too claustrophobic and distracting, but beggars can't be choosers.

Chelsea Piers in Manhattan, if the golf course down in Bayonne doesn't have one. Not certain as I don't play the game so haven't had to check.

Where is the next closest golf range?

That is county land not city land so it is a cash cow for Hudson County, not Jersey City. It will be nice they are looking at doing something more there than just a driving range.

is it 100% definite that there will be no more range??

I can't believe a city as cash strapped as JC would give up that kind of a cash cow...

I drive by almost every day and they are still working on it. I see a pile of telephone poles. Looks like they will be installed along 440 with netting.

I will try and stop by on Saturday and ask one of the guys for information.

I was just trying to find the number of the driving range to see if they were open given the weather outside.

Can't believe that the range is a goner. A nine hole golf course is great, but I really think it's a mistake to nuke the range. They'll lose a ton of business from people who have 40 minutes for a quick bucket of balls. From a game improvement standpoint, the range is key.

Even if they could squeeze in a small range or a 125 yard chipping range that would be great. I will miss the range more than appreciate a nine holer...

Does anybody have any new information on progress of the course and when it's scheduled to open? Thanks

That's great news. I know there will not be a driving range, but does anybody know if there will be any practice facilities (putting green ?)

Update on Lincoln Park 9-hole(?) golf?.1/13/10

I drove by it on Saturday the guys were working on it. I guess they are working 6 days a week to get it done in time for maybe a spring opening?? To me it looks like they are bringing back the old 9 hole course that was there years ago. (like someone mentioned above) They have about 6 bulldozers and a couple of steamrollers on site. Looks like they put down about four feet of gravel and ran plastic drainage pipes. They are in the process of grading it now.

Nice to see a county project move along so fast. I never thought it would.

Good news on the course! LP range was fine for practice...windy with old balls not withstanding. They had just replaced all the mats a few years back too.

So whats the over/under on the completion date holding up? lol While it doesn't take much time to move dirt around etc. Seeding and getting a good thick quality turf takes time. I say it will be years before we see an opening day.

I'm glad I found this website. I just moved to Paulus Hook from Manhattan and have been scouting courses and practice facilities for the spring. I was so pumped to hear that there was a practice range 3 miles from my apartment, only to find out that it was closing. Bummed to say the least. Does anybody know if this new course will have a small practice range? Also, when is the course scheduled to open? Thanks.

Vigilante, I agree with most of your posts, but I have to say that time on the practice range is essential to a developing a solid game. If you chunk a chip, are working on dialing in your wedges from 100 yards and in, or working out a slice, it's all done on the range. You can't go back and hit 25 balls to figure that out on the course. Well, I guess you could, but I don't think the group behind you would be to pleased. The range is where you study, the course if where you test !

No problem neverleft. Honestly I do think about those things. It troubled me when Hamilton Park had a bunch of trees cut down. I know to some people they're just squirrels or birds but it seems very harsh to kill God's critters. I hope a golf course will mean more wildlife.

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I walked the entire course when I caddied for my girlfriend. I'm the only one of us townsfolk who will ever do that. An amazing job of dredging up millions of tons of earth from the bay to create the artificial foothill affect. An interesting, tricky course with tight fairways and some tough to reach greens.

Other than that, whop-de-do. Give me my 9 hole on 440 and I'll be happy.

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Love the Stop & Shop. Huge and clean.

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10 East is not expensive. We ate there the other night. Big space on the corner with a great layout. Nicely decorated with a classy vibe. It has a big sushi bar and a few of those tables where the cook chops up the food in front of you. Everyone who complains that we don't have nice places to go around here should frequent that restaurant as often as possible so it doesn't go away. (It has a DJ and dancing on the weekends.)

Hey Vigilante I was only kidding with my first post. The one about you and the bunnies. I was trying to tie in your Vigilante tag and your picture with the dog to the bunnies. I guess it was a joke gone bad. Sorry no hard feelings. I think the below course was also build on a cleaned up landfill.

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Someone asked about the second course in the county?.

This is the link for the 2 second private county golf course it is in Bayonne. The 37 million dollar course.

http://www.bayonnegolfclub.com/#

(how the county/city gave up 2 choice pieces of water front property for mostly non-residents to use is beyond me.)

The Bayonne Golf Club course is beautiful. Don?t know anything about the membership, etc , check the site. I do know they have their own private water taxi (to Manhattan), a helipad, and a driving range (I think you hit the balls into the water) You can get a glimpse of it from the South Cove Common Mall area. There is a water walk way the entrance is next to the 10 East restaurant. (nice of the county to give us a walk way so we can see the course)

I don?t know if you are familiar with that area of Bayonne. The shopping area is over by the Cruise Port and new City View apartment complex.

There are stores and restaurants along with a rail stop across the highway. The ?sane? people of JC do their shopping there. Super Stop & Shop, Staples, Liquor Store, Franks Movie Theater. Great places to eat out a H ouihans and 10 East an expensive Japanese place.

The walkway is worth the trip nice wooden bridges and great views of NYC. ( and the golf course) We usually flip the golfers the bird if we see any. They in turn try to nail us with golf balls. Nice way to get free balls.



For the little ones a new miniature golf course also opened in Bayonne.

Old landfills and quarrys often make the best sites for golf courses. It's land that no one wants to build or live on and so is perfect for putting down something that people use occasionally but still brings in money. I know many people look at golf as elitist with cigar smoking "high-rolling" stock brokers but those days are long gone. Golf is now much cheaper as far as equipment and greens fees go. It can be taken as a relaxing game out in the fresh air that challenges you every single time you step on a course or one that drives you to the brink on insanity. The enviormental impact is always a question but that is mostly in the warmer southern and desert climates where grass was not meant to grow. The courses in New Jersey are pretty self sufficient as far as the upkeep of the courses go. If you ever play golf on the north west Jersey courses you will see deer, foxes, woodchucks and wild birds of every size and shape. And GEESE! It's a great game and I'll take a golf course over more condos or warehouses everytime.

Yeah from looking at google and the below piece I found in the JJ from July 2009. They must be going back to the water. (the landfill closure area) I thought they were just going to build on the small 9 hole that was there years ago.



$10.6 mil grant to fix Lincoln Park wetlands

Monday, July 13, 2009
By PAUL TAKAHASHI
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
The tide is turning for the Hackensack River wetlands in Jersey City.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced last week that New Jersey will receive nearly $10.6 million in federal economic stimulus funds to restore a 31-acre wetlands area in Lincoln Park. This represents the single largest grant from the federal agency through the stimulus package.

"These funds will help ensure the future of one of the Garden State's most important natural resources - our coastal wetlands," said U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez.

The grant comes from the $167 million in Recovery Act funds earmarked for marine and coastal habitat restoration.

In the Lincoln Park Wetland Restoration project the former landfill site will be excavated and the material will be dumped to the north, where a golf course is planned by Hudson County. About 200,000 cubic yards of sand will be brought in by the Army Corps of Engineers to cap the former landfill.

The restoration is projected to take 24 months to complete and should improve the river's ecosystem by increasing fish and bird populations.

"The river is surely but slowly getting cleaner," said Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan. "It was written off by my father's generation as polluted."

According to Sheehan, who is 60 years old, the fish population has increased from a handful of species when he was a child to about 65 species today. Once the fish population increased, migratory birds also returned. There are now about 265 bird species in the river habitat, Sheehan said.

"This is definitely a boon for the river," he said. "It will clean up the water and provide a wildlife habitat in the middle of a dense urban city."

The NOAA estimates the grant will create between 41 to 46 full-time jobs, officials said.


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I'd rather play a quick 9 on an Executive course than mindlessly hit balls on a really crappy driving range. Putting and short game, my fellow golfers. We never practice that enough.

You have to admit that those golf balls at the range were worn down to ping pong balls. Every shot was like a knuckle ball!

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Huh? Where's the other one? (Other than the one that costs a $1,000,000 to play.)

Anyway, off to Christmas Day.

As a regular user of the LP driving range I am a little sad that I will have to drive all the way to Edgewater to hit a bucket of balls. (Please let me know if anyone knows of a driving range that is closer!).

But I am very excited to have a county course to play in Jersey City! If my memory serves me this will be the first county course in Hudson county.

I cant imagine it will be ready before spring 2011.

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Driving ranges are fine but the best place to get your game together is on the course. Also, unlike the other 2, this will be a public course. Up until a couple years ago Hudson County had ZERO golf courses, public or private. Driving ranges are also over-rated as a practice tool. Most people will go there just to hit their driver or long irons. The best place to make up strokes is in the short game. Chipping at a range just doesn't do it.

am i the only one bummed out that we're losing a driving range? i know it wasnt that pretty, but i'd rather have a place to practice swinging balls than a golf course. now we have 2 golf courses in JC and no place to practice. boo.