Mayor Fulop & Community Groups Partner to Bring Much-Needed Upgrades to Neighborhood Park in Ward F
3 Years in the Making… New Playground, Multipurpose Turf Field & Basketball Court Provide Critical Amenities to Promote Active Outdoor Recreation
JERSEY CITY — Mayor Steven M. Fulop stood alongside neighborhood residents and local community groups for today’s ribbon cutting on the new and improved Gateway Park. As part of the final transformation, major upgrades to the park were designed in close collaboration with community members, including a new multipurpose turf field, a resurfaced basketball court outfitted with new basketball hoop posts, stormwater drainage systems, and a brand new playground with a wide range of accessibility and challenge levels for kids of all ages.
Jersey City officials spent the last three years collaborating with Friends of Gateway, the Jersey City Parks Coalition (JCPC), and community members to ensure the park improvements fit neighborhood residents’ needs.
“In addition to the much-needed equipment improvements, we restructured the plaza to accommodate more public events and build stronger communities by bringing people together. As has become standard practice in Jersey City, the entire park project was workshopped with local community groups to best meet the needs of the residents who will actually use it,” said Mayor Fulop. “Even before COVID brought the need for parks to the forefront, we have always prioritized accessible outdoor community space, and Gateway Park is one of the many park improvement projects we have completed in recent years utilizing grants to provide safe spaces for residents to connect and actively enjoy the outdoors.”
Gateway Park has been a well-used asset to the community for decades, and these recent upgrades will help encourage even more residents to utilize the modernized playground and fields for sports and other outdoor recreation use. Playground upgrades include furnishings and new equipment for youth to enjoy safely.
“Gateway Park has always been a place full of community pride. It’s where residents and their families gather, play, and create memories. It’s here on the sports fields and courts where Jersey City residents have the opportunity to play and develop their athletic abilities. We are pleased that the improvements include an updated plaza and amenities for future community events,” added Paula Mahayosnand, JCPC President. “The Jersey City Parks Coalition would like to express our sincerest thanks to Mayor Fulop, City Council Members, and all the City employees we have worked closely with over the years for the continuous support to improve parks throughout Jersey City.”
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The $500,000 turf field installation was funded through the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund and includes stormwater drainage infrastructure.
“There were severe subsurface issues throughout the park, likely linked to Super Storm Sandy and subsequent weather events, which we remedied with the installation of new turf and drainage infrastructure so that we can make sure the stormwater doesn’t continue to wear and tear on the beloved park,” added Barkha Patel, Director of the Department of Infrastructure.
“This is a very exciting and poignant moment for Robateau Legacy/Friends of Gateway, the project to revive Gateway Park as part of an effort to commemorate JCPD Lt. Christopher Robateau, whose watch ended on Jan 5, 2017. We always felt that reviving the park for the benefit of all neighborhood children and the community would assist in improving the community’s mental and physical health while strengthening the bridge between police and the community,” concluded Alika Muhammad, Friends of Gateway President. “Over the past few years, with the help of grants, support of the Jersey City Parks Coalition, the City of Jersey City, JCPD, and local supporters, Gateway Park has been renovated and rejuvenated, ready to serve the needs of multitudes of local kids and the community as a whole.”
All media inquiries should be directed to Kimberly Scalcione at [email protected].