Another interesting tidbit from the meeting. The Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, along with others, had long advocated making Holland Street, the jewel of the few remaining cobblestoned streets in Jersey City, an extension of the park. The road has long been closed to traffic (the community vociferously objected to reopening it and paving over the cobblestones when Tom DeGise proposed it in 1999), and since it's a city street, there would be no significant cost in acquisition. This would have been a way to preserve one of the few cobblestoned streets in the city, and also increase open space.

T&M said that they had, in fact recommended that suggestion, but that it was taken out of the draft plan at the cost of city officials.

Apparently there were several other spaces that T&M listed as priority acqusition as well, but the City said no to. Most notable was the Bergen Arches.

I would encourage everyone at the Ward D meeting to demand that the Holland Street addition be placed back in the plan. Also demand that the city not set aside acqusition of open space that has been previously recommended by T&M.

Joshua Parkhurst
President
Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy

Maybe the consultants are fans of Field Of Dreams.

"If you build it he will come."

I agree volleyball and tennis courts do not make sense there.

I understand why the proposal was made to convert passive park space to active space. But given the demographics of the locale, I don't think volleyball/tennis courts would get much use. Then again, what do I know...

Thanks to everyone who took the time to get out to that website. Here's the official statement:

To all Pro-active citizens of Riverview Fiske Park:

Thank you for your interest and feedback. Again, as we have stressed on
many occasions, this document is indeed a draft. The City Parks and
Open Space Master Plan does not represent specifically what the City
intends to do in each park, it does provide us with a valuable tool for
planning, budgeting and grant application submittals. Additionally the
Plan provides the City with a prioritization, inventory and organization
with recommendations (primarily broad) for all city parks; all of which
has been analyzed by the City's Consultant, in an attempt to satisfy
various Parks and Open Space shortcomings.

All public feedback is instrumental in crafting the final document, and
many specific recommendations and elements that the community would like
(or would NOT like) will be considered on a individual park by park
basis before a final draft is prepared by our consultants. Please note
that this community input does not end there, because during the
conceptual drawing phase when the Park is scheduled for improvements.
Public input will be solicited early in the conceptual stages of
individual Park design, prior to any final construction documents being
drafted.

Our goal has been, and remains, to improve and enhance all City Parks
utilizing a comprehensive City Parks and Open Space Master Plan.

We have received literally dozens of comments from Riverview-Fiske Park
residents regarding the suggestions from our consultants that volleyball
and tennis courts be added to the Eastern section of the park. If the
intent of our consultants was to try to address some of the shortages in
park amenities city-wide (and there are many), their intentions were
honorable. But given the overwhelming community reaction to these
items, we see no fundamental reason to continue to suggest their
placement. Therefore, please be assured that the volleyball and tennis
courts shall be removed from the final draft.

If you have any further comments concerning Riverview-Fiske Park,
please feel free to e-mail me on this or any other related subject.

Sincerely,

Glenn A. Wrigley, A.I.A., Chief Architect
CITY OF JERSEY CITY
575 Route 440
Jersey City, NJ 07305
201-547-5900
wrigleyg@jcnj.org



Brian F. Weller, C.L.A., A.S.L.A.
Landscape Architect

City of Jersey City
Division of Architecture
575 Route 440, 2nd Floor
Jersey City, New Jersey 07305
Phone (201) 547-5900
Fax (201) 547-5806

At the Ward E "Recreation Master Plan" public meeting, the consultant reported that -

1- the proposed tennis and volley ball courts are "out" of Fisk-Riverview park. Follow up on this...

2- proposal B, ballfields is out for Reservior #3 (pulled by the Mayor).

If I heard wrong, other please correct.

OK, I filled out the CitizenSpeak form.

Ruining that park is a remarkably stupid idea even within the benighted context of JC politics.

Good one. God forbid they have to drive to another park with space to support that.

Quote:

Don't let them put them in or it will be hell trying to get them out!!! Tell them to go to Lincoln Park and play their big ass county ballgames. They all drive them SUV's anyway!

Yes - the views are always remarkable from there. Sadly, it was never so true as it was on 9/11.

Folks,

For those of you who live in the Heights and those interested in city plans for development, there is public meeting Thursday January 25th from 6-9pm at School #28, 167 Hancock Ave. The City and its consultants will be there to respond to public opinion about the following:

City consultants have decided that fenced in volleyball and tennis courts shoul dbe built on the Eastern side (the view side) of the park.

This will obstruct the Heights' best public view of the NY Skyline, Pave over open and unstructured green space that currently available to everyone and ruin the historic character of this century-old park.

You can also send an email to Ward D Councilman Bill Gaughan, Mayor Healy, and Count President Vega at the following link

http://citizenspeak.org/node/960

thanks,

Ivan