I t may still be too cold for Weehawken kids to nestle with a book underneath the large metal gazebo in Daniel Webster School’s new Reading Garden. But come this spring, the new green space on Palisade and Maple avenues will be filled with the laughter of children.
The project took two years of planning, and two weeks ago, the Webster Reading Garden held its opening ceremony. In attendance were the students and principals from Daniel Webster and Theodore Roosevelt schools, Mayor Richard Turner and members of the Town Council, and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise.
“We have become the beneficiaries of having this beautiful place for us to go,” said Anthony Colasurdo, principal of Webster School.
While the Reading Garden will be open to all residents and children of Weehawken, the students of Daniel Webster School will have the greatest opportunity to use it for various activities.Reading is fundamental Reading has always been instilled as a core value in education for the students of Weehawken, so when Mayor Turner searched for uses for new open space, he involved Webster School.
“When we involved the school, [the project] took on a momentum if its own,” said Turner. “This has been a community effort.”
Among those involved in the effort were Alane Finnerty, the town’s director of historic preservation; Councilwoman Carmela Silvestri Ehert, and County Executive Tom DeGise, who helped get funding.
“About five years ago we made a pledge at the county administration that we would double the size of open space for our people,” said DeGise.
Approximately five years ago, the county instituted the Open Space Trust, a 1 percent on property taxes that helps fund open space projects around the county.
This has been the third recent open space project for Weehawken, which received a $225,000 grant from the Open Space Trust. Concept and design Turner also reached out to Webster School parent volunteer Lisa Zentner.
“Mr. Turner said, ‘Build me a garden,’ ” said Zentner, who was also instrumental in starting the vegetable and flower gardens at the school.
“I said, ‘I think this should be a reading garden, a passive recreational [space] dedicated to the love of reading,’ ” she said.
The design Zentner and a project committee from Webster School worked with architects from R & C Construction and Elysian Fields Architects to come up with a plan.
The design was left open and simple, with benches, walkways, and a centralized antique gazebo in the garden. Along with a 100-year-old iron gate and sign post, these amenities give the garden a character all its own.
The gate, gazebo, and sign post are all refurbished and were found by Amighini Architects in Jersey City. The benches in the reading garden were also refurbished, and originally stood along Boulevard East.
“We tried to make the park as green as possible,” said Zentner.
In addition, several variations of hydrangea and other perennials have been planted around the garden, which will be in full bloom by the summer. They will help create the whimsical fantasy garden dreamed up by Zentner and Steven Schwaab of Elysian Fields. Zentner is also awaiting the arrival of two bronze lions, which will guard the gate to the reading garden, similar to the lion statues seen in front of the New York Public Library. Also in attendance for the opening were Freeholder Jose Munoz, County Clerk Barbara Netchert, and Susan Mearns from the county board of directors.
The park will be open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk, and then from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the summer. comments on this piece can be sent to: current@hudsonreporter.com.