Hoboken residents and city officials gathered at Pier A Park and marched along the waterfront to the Hoboken Cove Saturday, March 9, to tell Gov. Phil Murphy to protect the Hoboken waterfront from industrialization.
The event, organized by local nonprofit a Fund For A Better Waterfront, aims to persuade Murphy not to allow NY Waterway to make the former Union Dry Dock site along Hoboken’s waterfront near Maxwell Place Park its ferry home port for maintenance and refueling.
Members of the public and local officials hope to obtain the property and turn it into public open space.
“Let’s think about what’s at stake here,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “If we lose this property to a refueling station you can say goodbye to kayaking, you can say goodbye to playgrounds where kids can breathe fresh air, you can say goodbye to marine life that is finally making a comeback.”
Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro said the Union Dry Dock property is the last piece missing from Hoboken’s waterfront public open space and that she will fight to make sure it’s complete.
“This is our home, this is what’s missing and we are going to fight all the way,” said Chaparro.
Bhalla said he has been in fruitful discussions with the governors office “to identify a path forward” and the governor “will have our backs in this battle” noting that Murphy has a longtime record as an environmental champion.
For more information on the rally and march see the next edition of the Hoboken Reporter or check online at Hudsonreporter.com.
