The weather is finally beginning to warm up, and summer vacation for children is quickly approaching, a time of year when most everyone’s attention turns to the outdoors.
This summer, the city has a full calendar of events that should keep children (and adults) busy.
Carmelo Garcia, the city’s director of Human Services, said Tuesday that keeping the city’s kids active during the summer is imperative. "The summer is the time of year where if you’re not careful, children can fall into a number of bad habits," he said. "That’s why it is so important to provide them with ample opportunities to keep them active. Athletic and recreation outlets are excellent vehicles keep our children active and teach them the habits will lead to a life of health and wellness."
This year, the Recreation Department will be running the following events:
- Aerobics on the waterfront
- Arts in the park
- Boys basketball clinic
- Creative Movement workshop (new)
- Girls basketball clinic
- Girls soccer clinic (new)
- Girls softball camp
- Gymnastics camp
- Hoboken Baseball Fantasy Camp (new)
- Instructional chess
- Martial arts on the waterfront
- Roller skating
- Soccer clinic for all ages
- Senior citizen swimming (new)
- Swimming
- Table tennis
- Tennis class for adults and kids
- Theater in the park
- Wiffle ball tournaments
- Ultimate Frisbee (new)
- Volleyball
- Yoga on the waterfront (new)
According to Garcia, most of the activities are free with the exception of gymnastics ($70) and family swimming ($25). The programs are paid for out of the city budget. According to Garcia, approximately $30,000 is spent by the city on its summer recreation programs.
For the little ones
One of the more popular programs with children between the ages of 2 and 8 is the twice-a-week series Art in the Park. The program is a creative outlet to expend children’s boundless summer energy in an outdoor setting. Many different activities are offered, ranging from finger-painting, small crafts, sand and water fun, to storytelling and yoga. While not every activity is offered at every session, each gathering offers an eclectic mix where parents and their children can spend every Monday and Thursday throughout the summer enjoying the warm weather in Hoboken parks.
Every Monday, the Arts in the Park is offered at Pier A Park. On Thursday it is offered at Elysian Park, which is located on Hudson Street between 10th and 11th streets, with the activities starting at 10 a.m. and wrapping up around noon.
For the big kids
Garcia added that one of the programs that he is most excited about is the “Exercise in the Park” program for adults. Every Monday at 7:30 this summer, a series of eight different workouts will be held at Pier A Park. The schedule of workouts starts on June 16 with Cardio Kickboxing, followed in subsequent weeks by total body sculpting, Salsa aerobics, Yoga, power yoga, cardio funk class, Pilates, Aeroboxing, Karate, and Latin sweat.
"If you were to go to sports clubs and pay for all 10 of these classes, it would cost you hundreds of dollars," said Garcia. "Exercise in the Park really is a great value, considering what you get."
Swimming options
During the summer months, the Hoboken High School pool at Ninth and Clinton streets will be open Monday through Thursday starting June 30. Toddlers will have the pool from 10 to 11 a.m.; beginners (5-10 years old), who must be accompanied by an adult, from 1 to 3 p.m.; experienced swimmers (8-13 years old) from 3 to 5 p.m.; family swimming on Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m., and adult swim conditioning on Monday and Wednesday from 8 to 9 p.m.
There will be a $25 fee for six weeks of family swim. Family swim consists of two adults and a maximum of three children. Each additional child will be $10.
Registration for all activities is now through June 27. According to Garcia, a citywide mailing outlining all of the programs offered should hit mailboxes this weekend. Those interested can register at City Hall, 94 Washington St., between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To register children, parents will need to present a copy of their birth certificate and proof of residency such as a rent receipt or gas bill. Classes are filed on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information visit www.hobokenNJ.org or call (201) 420-2094.
Two park projects break ground
Two significant projects, both of which have been in the works for some time, broke ground last week: the $1 million resurfacing of the city’s soccer field at Sinatra Park and the $175,000 installation at Pier A Park of a tree grove to serve as a Living Memorial honoring those who were killed on 9/11. The resurfacing of the soccer field is being paid for by state Green Acres funds, and the grove at Pier A is being paid for by a federal grant, according to Mayor David Roberts.
A state-of-the-art artificial field surface is in the process of being installed on the soccer field, which receives much use by the community. It will provide low maintenance and allow continual use. The project will be completed later this summer.
According to Joe Peluso, an assistant to the director of Environmental Services, this project will be finished by the middle of August in time for fall soccer season.
At Pier A Park, fencing was recently erected near the park entrance as work commences on the tree grove, which will consist of 36 Chinese Ginkgo Biloba trees to honor the 53 Hoboken residents who died in the terror attacks at the World Trade Center. The grove will provide a public place of reflection on a portion of the park that presently has no programmed activities.
According to Peluso, it will take about a week to plant the trees.
According to Roberts, work is progressing at the Jackson Street Park site where a former Public Works garage is being converted into an urban pocket park. The 5,000-square-foot park will be housed in the roofless shell of a historic century old building, which will maintain its distinctive facade. It will feature a fountain, game tables, a climbing wall, as well as traditional park landscaping. The $450,000 park is funded through the state’s Green Acres program.
Peluso said that the project should be completed "no later than the end of September."
Also, said Mayor Roberts, renovations were completed last week on the safety surface in the children’s playgrounds at Church Square Park and Stevens Park. Those renovations, which will provide a soft and safe playground surface, cost approximately $50,000, combined.
"Parks and open space have always been a priority of this administration, and these projects allow us to enhance the quality of life for all our residents,” said Roberts at a press conference at Sinatra Park held Tuesday.