Dear Al Sullivan,
Thank you for your report on the celebration of “saving the reservoir” in Weehawken/Union City. Sometime in the mid 1990’s when I first met Mayor Brian P. Stack (then campaigning), I asked him to please not to hand over the reservoir to developers (the reservoir has just been declared as obsolete for our drinking consumption). I did not realize at that time that this location did not even belong to Union City. Mr. Stack (at that time) assured me that he will do everything in his power not to have a development take over the reservoir’s space … and he lived up to this promise 20 years later! Thank you Mayor Stack!
I do however need to say that the newly so-called “park” should rather be seen as a first of hopefully more recreation and fitness facilities for our neighborhood. As Union City has been constantly improving and creating facilities for our children, it is high time to offer something for adults, rather than a “passive park”. As the demographics in both towns are changing we see an influx of people who pursue a healthy and active lifestyle. According to the guards at the gate of the “jogging track” we already see 25 plus entries in the morning and 75 plus entries in the evening, with 80 percent of those making the rounds more than once! It would be good if statistics could be kept of the usage, to gauge the interest of residents in recreational facilities of these kinds (ie a parkour and similar). This can and should be instituted at the various athletic fields which already exist!
We also need these facilities to be open longer hours than from dawn to dusk, as the usage needs to be available early mornings and late evenings (before and after work).
Respectfully,
Hannelore Leavy
30 year resident of Union City