Waterfront Gardening Association
The Friends of Hamilton Park (FoHP) has morphed into the Waterfront Gardening Association, Inc., a new gardening and special events organization that extends to the Newport waterfront!
www.waterfrontgardening.blogspot.comFor more information, please call 201-388-4506.
Renovation plan should go back to the drawing board
The above photos were on display at a meeting for local residents to view the plans for the renovation of Hamilton Park.
The photos give the appearance that a renovation might include these kinds of flower and community gardens. Although the plans reveal two narrow floral gardens, they are not nearly grand enough to resemble any of the gardens depicted in these photos. Although residents had asked for more gardens, what they are getting is significantly less.
In addition, the plans do not include irrigation, which is necessary for healthy lawns and landscaping.
The renovation is going to cost 2 million, but we don't know where this money will be spent; a breakdown of cost was not provided.
A professional plan would include a reference "key" to indicate what all markings on the plan represent; there was none.
Announcements for this meeting, like the previous meetings leading up to this one, targeted a small group of local residents. Hamilton Park is a public park, and the City should have given adequate, public notice, so that all interested residents could participate in the planning process.
Final plans for renovation of Hamilton Park
March 22nd
7:00 PM
1 McWilliams Place (corner of Hamilton Park and 8th Street)
Come view the plans and give input on what may be the last opportunity.
Farmers Market returns in June
Peaceful Valley Orchards farm store, Pittstown, NJPeaceful Valley Orchards, Hoboken Farms and Sassy Sweet Treats will return to Hamilton Park again this spring to sell fresh NJ grown produce, baked goods, pies, herbs, honey, eggs, jams, mozzarella, artisan breads, sirloin burgers, shrimp, crab cakes, cookies, brownies, coffee cakes and more.
The Jersey Fresh market is being scheduled for Wednesdays and will run from mid-June until the end of September.
Sponsored by the Friends of Hamilton Park. For more info. call 201-388-4506.
Historic Hamilton Park is Worth Preserving
* double click on the photo to enlarge *
The photograph above is a glimpse of historic Hamilton Park. In the center was a large water fountain, surrounded by an ornamental iron fence and the park was considered to be Passive.
Our park is the heart of the community. It lends tranquility and harmony to our lives. As the largest park in downtown Jersey City, it is visited by a diverse population. Located as it is in a historic district, its maintenance and plan should reflect the quality and tone of the surrounding architecture. It is the single most important and irreplaceable historic property in our neighborhood.
In recent years, the number of people visiting this park has increased and will continue to increase as more people choose to make Jersey City their home. Our goal's support Hamilton Park's historic quality, natural beauty and preservation while accommodating graciously and appropriately the "greatest" park related needs of the community which it serves.
We support a "period restoration" for Hamilton Park to include the historic style water fountain, landscaping & gardens and preserving green open space, with only a slight modification to include the communities’ Top needs, and nothing more.
1/23/07 - T&M Park Master Plan Public Meeting
January 23, 2007
Re: T&M Park Master Plan Public Meeting
City Hall, Jersey City
The Friends of Hamilton Park formed in the spring of 2005 for the purpose of organizing a farmers market, cultural events and to create flower gardens in an effort to bring our community together and to address matters of neglect and crime. We organized seven planting and cleanup events in the past two years and received two grants through the Jersey City Parks Coalition to fund our gardening projects. However, we have no real watering system and maintenance has been a terrible burden.
Recently, we made a point to bring to the City Councils attention that the renovation plans for Hamilton Park contained very few gardens and that a study conducted a year ago showed strong support for adding more gardens, and not less. In fact the study results show that landscaping ranked # 3, behind Dog Run and a Playground. The Jersey City Parks Coalition supported our stand on this issue and we will work together to ensure that Hamilton Park receives its fare share of gardens as was voted for by community residents.
We also learned from the study that residents did not place a high value on the two tennis courts that ranked # 8 on the study; the basketball court received even less support at # 16. I do not believe that items ranked #8 and #16 should be on this plan. We do not want ball courts relocated to other areas of the park to be placed in front of historic homes. The nearby athletic field was intended to be this areas active park. The courts could easily be relocated close by so that residents may continue to use them. However this possibility has not even been considered. I call upon City officials to work out a better plan.
Hamilton Park is located in the historic district and the same ordinance that applies to all homeowners must also apply to this park. A renovation is the opportunity to correct past mistakes.
Janet Allen, President
Friends of Hamilton Park
Hamilton Park needs renovation
Hamilton Park needs renovation
Sunday January 14, 2007
The Jersey City Reporter
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor:
Hamilton Park had its last significant overhaul during the early 1970's through the State Green Acres Program that stipulated the creation of active space. Jersey City at that time needed state assistance due to the poor financial condition. Hamilton Park at that time was not an historic neighborhood.
Times have changed, and now Hamilton Park's surrounding neighborhoods are in much better condition - arguably along with our City's finances. Also, Hamilton Park has been an historic neighborhood now for over 25 years. During the past few years, Hamilton Park neighborhood historic homeowners have had the bar raised yet again with regard to the level of complying with historic building codes. I think this higher, enforced standard is both entirely appropriate and needed.
However, I think this also needs to be applied to the plans to renovate Hamilton Park, too. I encourage all to visit the Jersey Room of the beautiful Downtown branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library to see pictures of just how green a space and passive in nature Hamilton Park historically was.
During the three years I operated the Hamilton Park Farmers' Market I had the opportunity to meet many of Hamilton Park's truly "old guard" residents (pre 1960) who fondly shared with me their recollections of how beautiful a space Hamilton Park was as a passive recreation area. Today, I feel the children's play area and dog run are now needed. However, it should end there.
Keeping the to-be renovated Hamilton Park as passive and green as possible is both consistent with and fair to the same standards the surrounding homeowners are now held to and form an historical perspective has integrity.
Alan Singer
Parks & Open Space Meetings
T&M Associates has been retained by the City to prepare a comprehensive City Parks and Open Space Master Plan for our sixty seven (plus) Parks and Open Space areas. Concept Park Plans have been prepared for several parks, showing a proposed design with new facilities and/or among existing rehabilitated facilities. Input from Jersey City residents is encouraged and welcomed throughout the City Parks and Open Space Master Plan project.
The following public meeting to view the plans and give input/comments will take place as follows:
WARD F
January 9, 2007 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center, 140 Martin Luther King Drive
WARD A
January 16, 2007 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Moose Hall, 60 West Side Avenue
WARD E
January 23, 2007 6:00 - 9:00 PM
City Hall, Anna Cucci Memorial Council Chambers, 280 Grove Street
January 25, 2007 6:00 - 9:00 PM
School #28, 167 Hancock Ave.
February 6, 2007 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Hank Gallo Hall, Lincoln Park
February 27, 2007 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Pershing Field Community Center, 201 Central Avenue
The Jersey City Parks Coalition and the Friends of Hamilton Park encourage Jersey City residents to attend these important meetings scheduled throughout our wards to give input and share our concerns.
Park Vandalism
We are seeing an increase in vandalism in Hamilton Park.
November 18th: FoHP members had gathered in the park to decorate the gazebo and tree in preparation for our tree lighting ceremony. We hung 3 vinyl banners at the three park entrances to advertise the event. In less than 24 hours, one of the banners located at the W. Hamilton and Pavonia park entrance was slashed with a sharp object in several places. The cost of the banner was $65.00.
December 11th, 13th, 15th: FoHP members hung fliers throughout the Hamilton Park community to get the word out about our Dec. 14th public meeting. The color printed fliers were ripped down each time, almost immediately after they were hung up. On the morning of Friday Dec. 15th, a sizeable amount of fliers were discovered on the front steps of a FoHP members home. The fliers were crumpled up into balls.
While it has been brought to our attention that it may be illegal to post fliers on the telephone poles around the park, it is apparent that only select fliers are being tore down (such as the fliers put up by the Friends of Hamilton Park) as many other fliers remain on the same telephone poles for long periods of time.
December 16th: Two trees in the south garden in Hamilton park were found crooked and upon inspection it appears that the trees were forced into their crooked positions; one of the trees is broken at the base. Earlier in the year a healthy perennial clematis plant that was successfully climbing up a lamp post in the south garden was discovered lying on the ground. The plant had been torn off the pole and a Japanese maple was found with 2/3 of its branches broken off. The Japanese maple had been donated to the Friends of Hamilton Park by the 14th Street Garden Center.
December 17th: The tree lights that FoHP members used to decorate the tree for the holiday season were found cut and some strings of lights were pulled down. The tree lights were donated to the Friends of Hamilton Park by The Home Depot.
The recent incidents have been reported to the Jersey City police and we are asking neighborhood residents to please report any witnessed incidents of vandalism to us, as well as the Jersey City police.
JC LIST HOLIDAY PARTY - DECEMBER 18TH
The Downtown Jersey City List holiday party has been scheduled for:
Monday December 18th
7:00 - 9:00 PM
The Merchant Bar & Restaurant 279 Grove Street across from City Hall
Finger foods & snacks; prizes, drink specials available for purchase:
$3 Mango Sangria
$3 Yellow Tail Chardonnay and Shiraz
$5 Apple Martini
$2.50 Bud Light Draft
$3 Bottles Brahma Beer
When you come into the Merchant, you'll receive a ticket with a number on it. Later in the evening we will pick the tickets out of a hat and call out the winning numbers.
Don't be shy. Stop by and say hello.
Meet and Greet with the Developer of Newport
PUBLIC MEETING - FRIENDS OF HAMILTON PARK, INC.
Membership Meeting
Thursday December 14
7:30 PM at the Atrium
330 Ninth Street, bet. Monmouth & Brunswick Sts.
Agenda
Meet and Greet with the Developer of Newport
Two residential buildings, the Grant and Cleveland, are being planned by Newport Associates for 10th Street. An explanation of that development will be made by our guest speaker:
Jamie LeFrak, President
Lefrak Organization
Community residents are invited to attend our meeting to view the plans and ask questions.
Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Hamilton Park
On Saturday November 25th at 5:00 pm, the Friends of Hamilton Park will host the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in the Hamilton Park, located at Jersey Ave. and 8th Street.
Refreshments, cookies and holiday breads will be available and the event will include carols with songful help from Holy Rosary.
Everyone is welcome to attend as we kick off the holiday season in Hamilton Park.
