Newark, NJ - November 17, 2009 - Mayor Cory A. Booker, Central Ward Council Member Charles A. Bell, Acting Engineering Director Mehdi Mohammadish, Newark Preschool Council Executive Director Jacqueline Crawford, representatives from the Newark Preschool Academy and other Newark dignitaries joined with Central Ward residents and preschool children today for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open Garden Spires Park which is located between the Newark Preschool Academy and Garden Spires apartment complex at 201 First Street in the Central Ward.

During the program, Mayor Booker reflected back to 1999, when he staged a hunger strike at Garden Spires apartment complex to bring increased public safety to the neighborhood and promised to build a park to improve the quality of life for residents.

“The community of Garden Spires has been waiting for a long time to see the change which we are witnessing today. When I was a young man of 29, Pastor Reddick first told me about how Garden Spires needed real hope because it had been neglected for years. The opening of this brand-new park next to our new Newark Preschool Academy has transformed this neighborhood from what it was like 10 years ago. This is what tangible hope feels like in our community. Brick by brick, we are building a stronger, safer, prouder Newark,” the Mayor said.

“The Mayor made a promise that he would one day open up a park to improve the quality of life for the residents of Garden Spires. Today he has delivered on it. This promise is now a reality,” said Council Member Bell.

“We are very fortunate to have not one, but two playgrounds at the new Newark Preschool Academy. More than 145 students ages 3-5 will be able to utilize these facilities on a daily basis. We are grateful that our students have a beautiful new school and recreational space to help advance their education,” said Dolores Towe, the Newark Preschool Academy Center Manager, and a North Ward resident.

Garden Spires Park was built on the site of the old Newark Academy. The city park was designed by Neglia Engineering Associates of Lyndhurst, and was constructed by Tec-Con Contractors, Inc. of East Orange, New Jersey, a female-owned business.  Construction began in September 2009. The project cost $330,000 and was funded by City Capital and Newark’s GreenSpaces, A Newark public-private partnership.

“I am proud of how my Engineering team has worked to not only rehabilitate existing recreational facilities but build new parks,” said Director Mohammadish. “In addition to the opening of this park, the Garden Spires neighborhood has also seen the restoration of existing parks with the re-opening of Thomas Silk and First Street Parks this past summer. Today is another example of our ongoing commitment to improve the quality of life for Newark's residents.”

Garden Spires Park includes Tiki Recreation playground equipment, a basketball court, eight beautiful shade trees, furniture, including benches and picnic tables, and is surrounded by an ornamental fence.

Newark Preschool Council Executive Director Jacqueline Crawford said, “When we think about children and the emphasis on ‘play,’ we think not only about a safe place, but a sense of community. Thanks to the leadership of our Mayor and City Council, the children residing in the Garden Spires neighborhood now have a beautiful park to play in.”

“When Cory Booker was Councilman of the Central Ward over ten years ago, he promised us great things for this area.  Today we are seeing Mayor Booker’s promise come to fruition and thank him for his leadership and vision to ensure that Newark’s children have a safe, secure, and fun place to play,” said Pastor Thomas Reddick, Founder and Executive Director of the Renaissance Church of Newark and Renaissance Community Development Corporation.   

“Not only is it great to have a view of this new playground from my window, but now the children have somewhere to play. As one of nine siblings, I am thrilled that my brothers and sisters can step outside their doorstep and enjoy this great park,” said 20-year old Garden Spires resident Hazeise Simmons.

“My three-year-old daughter Amani loves going to school everyday, and this playground will only make her wonderful learning environment even better. With educated teachers and beautiful facilities, the Newark Preschool Council Academy now has two playgrounds of equal quality. Children at her school and throughout the community have a fun place to go, where parents don’t have to worry about unsafe equipment,” said Central Ward resident Wayne Mclean, whose daughter Amani attends the school.

The City of Newark is in the midst of its biggest park expansion and rehabilitation initiative in more than a century. The City, working with GreenSpaces, a public/private partnership, and the Trust for Public Land, has committed $40 million for this parks initiative. Thus far, the City has completed new parks and fields at St. Peter’s Park, Nat Turner Park which is the largest city-owned park, Boys Park, First Street and Thomas Silk Parks, Ironbound B Field, and, in cooperation with Newark Public Schools, has built a new athletic complex at Weequahic High School. Parks currently are or will soon be under construction in every ward, with a total of 20 new or enhanced parks planned for completion by the end of 2010.

Anyone with questions about any City of Newark program or policy should contact the City’s Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.


Contact:  Newark Press Information Office: (973) 733-8004.

About the City of Newark, New Jersey
Newark, commonly referred to as Brick City, is the third oldest city in the United States and the largest in New Jersey, with a population of more than 280,000 people. Newark sits on one of the nation’s largest transportation super-structures including an international airport, major rail connections, major highway intersections and the busiest seaport on the east coast.

With a new Administration as of July 2006, Newark continues to see signs of a strong revival.  In population, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the northeast. Its six major colleges and universities are further expanding their presence. The production of affordable housing has doubled, businesses are returning and crime is going down. There is still much work to be done but Newark is on its way to achieving its mission:  to set a national standard for urban transformation.