Dear Editor:
Come one, come all, and join the Friends of Leonard Gordon Park (FoLGP), your neighbors, Mayor Fulop and Council President Rolando Lavarro, as we officially open and celebrate our improved and re-located playground, our new dog run, and our refurbished swing area on Saturday, Sept. 13 at noon. Rain date is the following Saturday at noon.
Enjoying the new partnership between Jersey City and the Jersey City Parks Coalition (JCPC), FoLGP were able to move the playground site much closer to Kennedy Blvd. where the public, who live, walk or drive by the park, can easily view the children in and around the playground, thus discouraging future vandalism. We raised the platforms of the playground several important inches and tripled the number of imaginative interactive panels with vibrant colors, so that toddlers and younger children – and even children with wheelchairs – can enjoy a whole universe of experiences on the ground level beneath the structure.
Older children can now have fun using numerous stair and climbing styles to access the upper portion with still more educational and interactive panels and three different sliding ponds. We especially thank Director Brian Weller of Jersey City’s Division of Architecture and Tom Brennan of Boyce Associates, who were highly supportive of our efforts. Brian, and this administration, are also helping this park get live water lines for the first time in decades. The FoLGP have also created, and are continuing to develop gardens near and around the children’s playground.
So, please come celebrate the grand opening of the LGP playground and dog run. The ribbon cutting is at 12:15 pm. Performers include The Kennedy Dancers, performances provided by County Prep, face painting, magic tricks, and DJ’d music by DJ Wyse. Free popcorn and water has been donated by Stop&Shop, and Los Tres Chilitos and Taste of India will provide their delicious food. We will also serve shaved ice, an icy cart and hot dogs.
Clifford S. Waldman
Ph.D; FoLGP President