October Community Meeting

You're Invited to the HPNA's Next Community Meeting

WEDNESDAY, OCT 3, 2007
7:45 PM
The Cordero School, 0n Erie between 9th St and Pavonia Avenue

Meeting Agenda

7:45 to 8:00 - Crime Report
Police Officer Dina Reilly from the East District Police Department will come to discuss our neighborhood safety concerns. The Jersey City Police Department has a new website, http://www.njjcpd.org/ that provides extensive Department Information as well as Preventive Tips. Please note the non-emergency police number: (201) 547-5477.

8:00 – 8:45 Dogs in Hamilton Park
Animal Control Officer Joe Frank, P.O. Dina Reilly, and a representative from NID will discuss the recent dog attacks in Hamilton Park. Everyone is invited to talk about dogs in Hamilton Park, including current leash and dog registration laws. Long-time community member and business owner Ava Thorin will present her ideas for a cohesive and responsible Hamilton Park dog community. For everything dog-related in Jersey City, check out the online listserve DogJC at http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/DOGJC/.

8:45 – 9:00 General HPNA Community Updates, Concerns, Questions
The HPNA will update the community on various neighborhood concerns, including the planned Hamilton Park renovation – the construction document plans are almost complete! Volunteers are also needed for the HPNA Halloween Party and Parade in the park from 2-4 pm Sun, 10/28.

9:00 - 9:30 Neighborhood social time, chat with presenters


UPCOMING EVENTS AROUND HAMILTON PARK

Sat and Sun, Oct 6th/7th, 12 noon to 6pm – JC ProArts Studio Tour
The 17th annual Jersey City Artists' Studio Tour is taking place on October 6th and 7th from 12 noon to 6pm. To find the artists' studios and the group shows participating in the Studio Tour throughout Jersey City, pick up a free map and guide on the 6th and 7th from 11:30am through 6pm at the Studio Tour tents, located just outside the Grove Street and Journal Square PATH stations. For more information, check out the JC ProArts website at http://www.proartsjerseycity.org/.

Sat, October 13th, 12 noon to 4pm – Celebrate Embankment Victory
On August 9th the federal Surface Transportation Board gave the city, county and state governments a second chance to acquire the Harsimus Branch (6th Street) Embankment from Conrail on reasonable terms. This is a huge victory for the city and all of the citizens who have worked so hard to preserve the Embankment as an historic landmark and public open space. While the journey is by no means finished, the Embankment Preservation Coalition (EPC) is taking this opportunity to CELEBRATE. Join the EPC from noon to 4pm at Resurrection School Gymnasium (Holy Rosary Church Complex), 189 Brunswick St, corner of 6th and Brunswick. The full program can be viewed at the EPC website: http://www.embankment.org/.

Sun, October 28th, 2pm to 4pm – HPNA Halloween Party
Bring out the kids and the pets to enjoy the annual HPNA-sponsored Halloween Party in Hamilton Park. Activities include costume contests for children and pets and a costume parade for all around the park. Come decorate a pumpkin in the Hamilton Park Gazebo and kids are invited to enjoy the candy goody bags. Look for updates and details on the HPNA blog at http://hpnajc.blogspot.com/.

Sat and Sun, Oct 27th and 28th, 12 noon to 10pm – St. Jude Festival
The community is invited to join in the St. Jude festivities hosted by Resurrection Parish on 9th Street between Jersey Ave and Erie Street. Check out food vendors, games, and live entertainment. Please note that this portion of 9th Street will be closed to vehicular traffic during the festival hours on the weekend.

Jersey City Tree Planting

The JC Department of Public Works, Division of Parks and Forestry is doing their tree planting program again for this fall. Call them at tel: 201-547-4449 to request an application form -- the deadline is September 28, and plantings will be in October and November.

The city will make the tree pit on the sidewalk in front of your property if there isn't one already, and plant the tree of your choice for a small fee. You may mark your preferred spot on the sidewalk in chalk and they will oblige as long as there are no obstructing water/sewer lines or anything else important.

A neighbor counted over 120 open tree pits from Newark to 10th between Grove and Coles Streets, not including the ones that have been filled in with cement, bricks or asphalt, nor the pits tha t contain dead or dying trees. If you have an empty tree pit in front of your property, please consider filling it with a new tree.

Final Park Vote June 9: Design "D" is the Winner

The final vote for the renovation of Hamilton Park was held today during the 22nd Annual June Park Festival - here are the ballot results:

Total Ballots Cast (including absentees): 649

Four Design Options (click to view designs online):
http://hamiltonpark.org/ballot4/june9ballot.html

Design A: 96 votes (14.8% of the total)
Design B: 141 votes (21.7% of the total)
Design C: 83 votes (12.8% of the total)
Design D: 329 votes (50.7% of the total)

There were a record number of votes cast! An enormous thank you to everyone who participated and especially to all our volunteers who helped with everything from ballot preparation to table staffing to counting the final tallies this evening. This was truly an effort of the community and an amazing two-year experience.

We hope that the 2008 HPNA June Park Festival will be as fabulous as today, and in a renovated Hamilton Park.