So the park reopening ceremony will be tomorrow at noon. But, the park won't actually open until the weekend?

I'm confused.

By Jon Whiten ? May 25th, 2010

The renovation of Hamilton Park, which got started on April 30, 2009, is finally coming to a close with an official re-opening slated for Thursday, May 27 at noon.

The nearly $3.2 million renovation includes a comprehensive subsurface drainage system; a new
playground and ?sprayground? for children with separate toddler areas; two fenced dog runs, new Victorian-style decorative lighting; a community garden; new tennis, basketball and multi-use courts; and new benches, tables and drinking fountains. The city also renovated the gazebo in the center of the park.

The daytime grand re-opening and ribbon cutting will reportedly be followed by live music at the Parkside Bistro on Erie Street beginning at 6 pm.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... icially-re-open-thursday/

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what?! do you actually *read* JClist?

From Althea:
"Hamilton Park is 100% good to go. They will be holding their re-opening ceremony at Noon this Thursday (5/27/2010). I met with the PSE&G rep this morning and the final lights are being connected tomorrow. That is our final step, but even if that falls through, all safety issues have been met and the Park will be open to the public this weekend."

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I'm not gonna rehash an old argument. I will say that I have always railed against the people on this site, most of which have been banned, about their inconsistencies on park rules. They targeted only the yuppie, white folks with dogs (an easy and approachable target) and refused to acknowledge an ever growing problem with litter and noise late at night. Write all the off-leash tickets you want, I have NO problem with that. But don't pretend that there is no problem with many other things. SamS, for instance, stated that the noise from the BB courts didn't bother him at all. He stated that he lived "a block and a half away". He lives west of the big Baptist church which you pass on the way to the White Star. He lives nowhere near the BB courts and yet he, once again, tried to spin the facts in his favor. People who behave irresponsibly in anyway should be punished to the full extent of the law. How many more photos of a trashed Enos Jones Park do I have to post until people see that the problems aren't just a small percentage of dog-walkers. And so I campaign for inclusion, not exclusion from the rules.

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Hmmm. Maybe. I also dislike inconsistency and broken political systems, such as the absurdity that is our local politics.

But, it seems more like your inconsistency has been exposed, because you seem to think park rules apply to everyone except you... even though, as you highlight for us quite often, you know the rules about litter and noise and bball are never enforced anyway.

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Yes, I admit that I like to mess with people. I also like to expose their hypocracy.

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Perhaps that is true, but I doubt it.

It was here (http://jclist.com/modules/newbb/viewt ... =ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0 ) and (http://jclist.com/modules/newbb/viewt ... id=237343#forumpost237343 ) that you aired your principles more openly. Maybe here (http://jclist.com/modules/newbb/viewt ... id=237348#forumpost237348 )?

That said, I do remember something about how you'll flaunt the new regulation and it will go unenforced.

Thus, your misbehavior will be rewarded.

QED

I was talking about the new dog-runs.

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And from the "JC Playground Rules" thread about Fiske park, you wrote:

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I agree.

But, I am using this as a jumping-off point.

We must be mindful that public parks are for the mutual enjoyment of our fellow citizens, and not for the exclusive enjoyment of bad apples at the expense of others. It is unfair when good things like parks are shared unequally.

When individual bad behavior adds up, we have a "tragedy of the commons" scenario. Litter near the baseball field and hockey rink at Enos Jones Park is one such example. Each littering person, individually, is spoiling it for all, collectively.

Where misbehavior goes unregulated and unpunished, we risk a situation of "moral hazard" in which bad apples are untouched by the consequences of their actions. In turn, they have less incentive to change or do otherwise. Litter, again, is one such example. But the non-enforcement of parking codes or uninvestigated insurance fraud might be examples as well.

Together, these may produce yet another $50 word: externalities. Or, when costs are pushed downstream to another person - say, a taxpayer rather than the polluter himself. Thus, the actual costs of misbehavior are not borne by the actor because the costs are borne by other payers.

Ok. Here I come to my point.

In this thread and others - and especially about Hamilton Park - you've openly expressed your disdain for particular park users and hypocrisies related to their park behavior. With regard to HP, you've been quite clear about your opposition to the idea of dog parks. I believe you intend to openly flaunt the new HP dog restrictions and you malign any who say that dogs have ever caused a nuisance. (You've even claimed they fight crime.) Just above you've written that you cannot wait to run the dogs there, at HP.

Many other posters disagree with your position and have called you out on it. I believe you've said that after a while, nobody will pay attention and the dogs will run free again.

You've also taken issue with the non-enforcement of reasonable nighttime restrictions on basketball playing.

This bring us to an interesting scenario where at Fiske Park in the Heights (http://jclist.com/modules/newbb/viewt ... id=241881#forumpost241881), you've suggested that non-complying soccer-playing teenagers should be removed from the place of their non-compliance, lest their misbehavior be "rewarded" by non-enforcement.

So, if we apply that same principle here to suggest that toddlers should play in the toddler zone and soccer should be played in the soccer zone, cannot we urge through the reasonable and judicious exercise of park regulations that dogs should be run in the dog zone? That particular zone is not the only place they *could* be run, but nor must toddlers or soccer players be isolated in and of their nature.

What I'm asking of you is whether you believe there is something helpful in the theory that isolating zones for particular uses thereby isolates the risks which stem from those uses. Thus, by isolating the risks, other uses in the park are somehow protected or even rewarded.

Now, you may suggest that the uses are different, so the rules should be different. Ballplaying and dogs cause different harms, if any at all, you might say. That may well be for your dog, as you are a careful guardian of its muzzled face and it's squeaky-clean rear end such that you don't believe a leash or a dog park is required. But, if I grant that your dog is Lassie and would never misbehave, then I hope you would grant that there are OTHER dogs who might misbehave outside of the dog zone and that SOME of that misbehavior might come at a cost for other human beings.
(Full disclosure: I was biking through Hamilton Park two years ago when a tan/ light brown medium sized dog cut immediately across my path and forced me to stop in a sudden and very uncomfortable way. The dog was chasing a ball or a squirrel and the owner... hmmm. Well, he was quiet about the whole affair while I sneered at him).

So, if we apply the strict-enforcement/ "stop rewarding bad behavior" argument to Hamilton Park dog libertarianism, then we have the risk of tragedy of the commons (individual misuse which multiplies the dog piles and kicked-up grass), moral hazard (no disincentive to change such actions), and their resulting externalities (others pay the cost of stepping into a dog pile or hiring the Parks department to clean it up).

Indeed, the "others" to whom you wish to apply park regulations are human beings who - normally in control of their relatively-predictable actions and presumably able to understand the consequences of their actions - are nevertheless putting their rational self-interest before their belief in community or enlightened self-interest. In any case, they are human and know what behavior can be dangerous to others.

And, while I am an animal lover, I do not believe dogs have such a cognitive capability. Yes, they understand consequences and take well to good training, but they do not have the capacities of the human brain. For that reason, the regulation does not apply to the animal, but to the owner, who is the one most likely to pursue their own rational self-interest (letting the dog off the leash to let it run free and happy and tire out), or even concoct a self-serving argument that her dog is more in control than most human beings. While that may well be with Lassie, it cannot be guaranteed to be the case with all dogs.

In the end, I think that your tough-talk on park enforcement for litter and rough soccer CAN ONLY be consistent if you abide by the Hamilton Park regulations for dogs and dogwalking. If you do not abide such regulations, I feel you are exhibiting a disturbing instance of self-exceptionalism by excusing yourself from park regulations while you apply them to others.

I expect you will maintain a consistent position by disagreeing and you will try to differentiate your unregulated use of Hamilton Park and your brazen disregard for the preferences of others. Yet, if your principles are consistent, we cannot allow such misbehavior to go unpunished because to go unpunished is to be rewarded.

Not asphalt, recycled rubber particles glued to create a spongy mat...its perfect.

Yesterday and today, they've been surfacing the playground with what looks like asphalt. Presumably if it is asphalt, there'll be some softer stuff put on top. Anybody got any intel on this?

I cannot wait to run the dogs there.

The backboards may be acrylic. Been awhile since I've see one shatter.

As for the rubber, I am not hopeful.

They're currently working on stripping and painting the exterior wall and fencing.

Walked by this past weekend and saw the new basketball hoops that have been put up.

Does anyone find it odd that they are made of glass? I don't expect those glass back boards to stay for long. All we need are a few people dunking balls and then hanging on the hoops.

SMASH...broken glass all over the place. (good way to close the basketball court though).

Another thing I noticed, apparently the remainder of the lamp posts have been put in. However, now the little medallions have JC on them. So I guess they really did buy leftovers from Hoboken's sidewalk project. Otherwise why the sudden change to JC. Is it possible to get new medallions so that all the lamps can be JC? It looks strange.

Also, I guess gravel isn't good enough for the kids play area? Looks like they are going to be putting something else there. Rubber shavings?

But it looks like its just about done. I hope they can put some folks on overtime to get it done quicker than June.

FG.

P.S. Don't forget to paint the entrances to the park and the fence too.

Fantastic!

Got this in my email today.

THE 24th ANNUAL HAMILTON PARK FESTIVAL
& Park Re-opening Ceremony
Saturday, June 5, 2010 (10:00 am to 6:00 pm)
Rain date: Sunday, June 6th
Set-up time: 7:00 am to 10:00 am Clean-up: 6:00 p m ? 8:00 pm

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Haha. It was set for memorial day. Probably will be June 12. Then June 21. Then July 4.

Worst contractors ever.

Waver, you are so right, it is a tease to see it there but not be able to go in. My poor kid cries every time we pass, I have to drag him away. When this park opens its gonna feel like Christmas!

The basketball hoops went up Saturday and there's a new subsurface down on the playground. Looks like it's getting close.

I have heard that the park is set for reopening June 5th, is this true ?

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Yes, please!

(Although I heard that it's a case of a poorly written contract that holds the contractor liable for anything that happens in the park until the entire, completed job is signed off on. So, they can't just fence off the remaining work area and open the rest. I hope that's not the case b/c I can see the last bit dragging on and on and on...)

I can't take this tease anymore. Open the damn park! Fence off the area they are still working on. The trees are in bloom, the grass getting greener, sun beaming down, kids & dogs staring in hungrily but no park. What up???

I'm all for the BBC. I read more profanity here than I hear when passing the court. Besides, it brings more diversity & urban coolness to the area; Lord knows we need it. I think dogs should be on leash when they are not in the runs. But no matter, just open the park!

We moved from Brooklyn in Nov 08 and really like Jersey City a lot. The number one selling point is how friendly and communal it is. It feels like a small town.

There are a lot of activities for kids:

Besides the park, you have Next Step Broadway (a dance studio for kids), and Be Lingual (foreign language). There is also soccer, music, tai kwon do (sp), art classes, yoga, etc within walking distance. Plus a myriad of activities in neighboring Hoboken.

If you're not going to send your 6 year old to the local public school, you have to act now to get him into one of the privates.

Our 6 year old attends PS 37, which sounds like it will be your local zoned school as well.

Feel free to pm me for more info.

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Wow, such an insanely broad question! I'd start by spring day outings exploring the rest of our local greenspaces and outdoors, from Liberty State Park, to the waterfront walkway, to Pier A in Hoboken. I'm sure someone can provide a link to the various kid friendly arts events & performances coming up.

Hey,

I am new to the forum and am quite glad I found it. I will be moving to 7th street near Hamilton Park on May 1st and an happy to hear that it should be opening near that date. Is it still on track to open by mid May?

I have two kids, one is 6 and one is 6 months. Aside from the park, does anyone have any good suggestions of places or activities in the neighborhood for a family? Any ideas are appreciated. I am from downtown Brooklyn anbd am moving ot JC to be closer to my parents.

oh! now i get it. there's a lot of arguing going on between both sides on both posts about this.

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Croft, I know you're a pretty reasonable character, maybe you misunderstand the debate. It's been proposed that 2 of the 4 "undeveloped" lawn sections of the park be designated pet free. That leaves not only the other 2 lawns for you and your leashed pup to relax on, but virtually all of the rest of the park, with the exception of the ball courts, the play areas and presumably the little garden. This is what is being labeled "outrageous".

i would like to be able to hang out there and read a book on a weekend with my dogs next to me. they enjoy sitting outside as much as i do, and why not be able to share that with them?

it's really simple, most people can tell when their dog has to go. get the poops and pees out before you get into the waste free zones and take them out every so often in case they saved a little for later. it's too bad that there are people who don't clean up after their dogs. i see it on a daily basis and it ends up hurting the rest of us in the long run.

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The issue is how much of the park would be designated "dog free" were 2 lawns added to the play & ball areas. Clearly the dog runs don't fall into that category. So you want to count only the areas you desire as the ones dogs are allowed in? I love how people who are on the wrong side of the numbers disparage using them. Remember GWB and his "fuzzy numbers"? Several trillion borrowed dollars later I'll venture numbers DO matter!