QotD: Pier A Park an active playing field?
12/2/2009:
Several Hoboken411 readers, who are dismayed at our lack of playing fields for our taxpaying residents (i.e., the collapsed / closed Sinatra Park field) are wondering if Pier A Park should be converted to an active playing field while the city scrambles to “find” money to fix the dilapidated pier…
Give some green space back to taxpayers!
“Non-Hoboken residents have been using Pier A as their personal ball field for six years so why can’t the Mayor and administration allow the soccer league to play there as well?
As a taxpayer, I’d rather see our passive fields turned into multi-purpose playing fields for our kids and adults who need the field space rather than leaving it solely to the sunbathers and non-permitted league sports (like the football games I saw dominating the field this past weekend).
I’d also expect this new “reformed” government we have to think outside the box, but I won’t hold my breath.”
Someone explain why they didn’t just make Pier C like Pier A. I would rather have a square duplicate of Pier A, with lots of green space than what they built at Pier C.
Good question.
Similarly, what the heck is the hold-up at 1600 Park? Scoop up any tainted soil (bond for the cost), bring in some clean fill, grade and add a layer of topsoil and some grass seed. Done deal!
Nope, years will be wasted waffling and eventually they’ll pave 2/3 of it, put in a few flimsy play grounds, a refreshment stand and a bunch of fences (so it can be locked most of the time), all for the bargain price of $20,000,000.
Nobody in politics understands the value of clean and green passive recreational space. And astroturf of any color is not “green”.
In response to Furey who said:
Because they want to look like creative geniuses and heroes to the “leaders of tomorrow”.
In response to Furey who said:
One of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard on here. It seems some people won’t be happy until every tree is chopped down and every blade of grass is torn up for a soccer field, playground and dog run. And let’s build some more fishing piers.
And it’s really going to be interesting when Pier C opens (with an aforesaid playground) and the entire town tries to go on that tiny little speck of ground in the Hudson.
Agreed. Soccer field idea is a classic case of people wanting their own agenda ahead of common sense. However, soccer fields in town are at overload levels, so this notion is coming from somewhere.
My call on that little park out in the water (Pier C): what a white elephant. Almost designed to be an after-dark teenage problem, and almost certain to be underpopulated, except for people showing off “how close they live to downtown Manhattan”. How cute is that?
In response to NickAdams who said:
And it’s really going to be interesting when Pier C opens (with an aforesaid playground) and the entire town tries to go on that tiny little speck of ground in the Hudson.
I have a really dumb question. Look here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&source=hp&q=hoboken+map&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Hoboken,+Hudson,+New+Jersey&gl=us&ei=U-EWS7ndFIHRlAe1jrWRDw&ved=0CAsQ8gEwAA&ll=40.737145,-74.04106&spn=0,359.991996&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.735235,-74.040566&panoid=XRj98MbQ7DJamKXmzS5XoA&cbp=12,285.08,,0,3.67
Ok, I recognize it’s in Jersey City, but there has to be a way we can partner with Jersey City to get open space there. There’s a TON of land around this area that is just desolate wasteland that can easily be turned into parkland.
Is it all NJ Transit owned? Someone must know. We all complain about our tiny parcels and don’t think bigger.
As a parent, I hate when people throw kids into this discussion. If you really want your kids to be in a soccer league, you have to make the accomadations, not the city. Go elsewhere and join a league. Changing Pier A to an active field is a very shortsighted and not practical move. Would we need to build a giant fence around the pier to prevent balls from going into the river? Recreational use of the field limits the damage to real grass. I can tolerate a casual football game, frisbee toss, even kicking a soccer ball around. An organized league will do a lot more damage than good. Again, LEAVE the kids out of this discussion
There used to be grass field on Pier A where the 911 ginko trees and are now.