Bayonne student to appear in ‘Annie’

Bayonne resident Gabby Beredo, who was featured in the Summer 2017 issue of Bayonne: Life on the Peninsula, will appear in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of “Annie.” Gabby played Lavender in the Broadway hit musical “Matilda.” The show opens on Nov. 21 and runs through Dec. 31. Visit papermill.org or call (973) 376-4343.

Bayonne to re-submit bid as Gov. Christie recommends Newark for Amazon’s second headquarters

Newark has been chosen by the governor’s office to be the state’s official recommendation for Amazon’s second headquarters. ROI-NJ reports Gov. Christie joined Senator Corey Booker and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at the Rutgers Business School in Newark on Monday, October 16, announcing a $7 billion incentive package to lure the online retail giant.
Cities such as Bayonne that are also planning proposals to Amazon can still make those proposals, but the bid would not come with the state’s official recommendation. The state will be responsible for designing incentives to lure the major online retailer.
Mayor James Davis said that he will submit Bayonne’s proposal directly to the company. “Either way, at the end of the day, Amazon will be choosing.”

Environmental remediation of Rutkowski Park underway

After Honeywell International was court-ordered to remediate a 34-acre chromium site in Jersey City in 2003, chromium was detected at Rutkowski Park in 2005. Now, Honeywell will perform an environmental remediation of the park, mainly along the Bayonne sewer pipeline between 48th and 52nd Streets. The process began in early October with site surveys, but the company will soon begin excavating some areas of the park. The city will plant some new vegetation and replace the dug-up asphalt along the walkway. Some sections of the park will be closed for a limited period of time.

Gateway project breaks ground in Kearny

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez was on hand for the cutting of a ribbon that will reconstruct a key bridge as part of a larger Gateway rail tunnel system.
A key element of the new Gateway rail tunnel broke ground in Kearny on Oct. 13 when Gov. Christopher Christie joined U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker as well as other officials.
The Portal North Bridge is a $20 million portion of the larger Gateway project, and will raise the height of the bridge in order to accommodate trains along the Northeast Corridor. This is the first leg of a larger project that will have new tunnels dug through the Palisades and under the Hudson River to provide more up-to-date tunnels. The current tunnel system, which was damaged in Superstorm Sandy in 2012, will be rebuilt after the new tunnel system is complete.
“The replacement of the aging Portal Bridge is the first step toward ensuring a sound and efficient rail transportation system that will serve millions of riders now and well into the future,” Christie said.
Of the $20 million needed for this project, $16 million is expected to come from the Transportation Investment Generating Income Recovery grant program. The New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund contributed the remaining $4 million.

Phone scammers posing as police officers, targeting seniors

Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari is issuing a warning to local citizens about a telephone scam that is targeting local residents, particularly senior citizens.
The Sheriff’s Office has received complaints from residents who report that someone claiming to be a police deputy has called them and requested money in order to avoid arrest for Jury Duty violations or other outstanding warrants. These calls first started popping up in Essex, Morris, and Bergen counties and have now spread to Jersey City and Hudson County.
Other callers have told residents that they owe back taxes and face arrest if the amount isn’t paid. Phone scammers are asking victims to retrieve money on a money card, which is a prepaid credit card. After initially asking to meet them at a certain location, scammers will then ask them to just give the money card information over the phone.
Some have even referred to a captain or other officer to make the call appear legitimate.
“I want to make it clear to all Hudson County residents that our office does not make such calls,” said Sheriff Schillari. “Our department is working diligently to find these scam artists who victimize working people and seniors and bring them to justice. We ask all residents to be on alert and let us know if they receive a call like this. People should be extremely careful about sharing any personal information on the telephone with someone whom they do not know.”
Anyone with further information about these calls or to report receiving one is asked to contact the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office at (201) 369-4330.

RWJ Barnabas Health donates $10,000 to Puerto Rican relief fund

RWJBarnabas Health has donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross New Jersey Region for the Hurricane Maria Relief Fund for Puerto Rico, sponsored by Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz and Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka.
Mary Ellen Clyne, president and chief executive officer of Clara Maass Medical Center, presented the check at the ARC fundraising event in Newark at the Flamboyan Manor on Sunday, Oct. 8 hosted by community leaders.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Rep. Albio Sires also attended. Across the RWJBarnabas Health system, monetary and non-perishable goods, toiletries, and medications continue to be collected and sent to areas that are experiencing devastating destruction.

Mayor Davis expresses support for Staten Island-Bayonne Aerial Gondola

Bayonne Mayor James Davis has signed on to support the proposed Staten Island to Bayonne Aerial Gondola. Recently, Mayor Davis and Assemblymen Nicholas Chiaravalloti (D-31) and John Wisniewski (D-19) met with representatives from the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) to discuss the project and how to advance it to the next phase –an engineering and feasibility study for the system.
“The City of Bayonne is always looking for innovative ways to improve our mass transit and when the SIEDC presented this idea to me I was intrigued. Thanks to their flexibility and adaptability, aerial gondolas really do present the next frontier of regional transit for the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area and are ideal for an urban environment such as Bayonne” said Mayor Davis.
SIEDC initiated the gondola effort over two years ago with the idea of connecting Staten Island to the rest of the region via an aerial cableway. During that time, SIEDC has conducted significant research and developed a network of supporters that believe the project is not only feasible – but essential. The addition of Mayor Davis to the list of supporters is a significant step forward for the project.
According to Cesar Claro, President and CEO of the SIEDC “SIEDC is thrilled that Mayor Davis has signed on to support this effort. Staten Island and Bayonne share a number of economic and transportation similarities and we look forward to a prosperous partnership focused on how our communities can work in tandem to create a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship.”
SIEDC recently conducted a global design competition to determine the best system type, ideal route and proposed cost for the aerial gondola. Leitner-Poma of America and their Staten Island to Bayonne route was selected as the winner which would connect Elm Park on Staten Island to Bayonne. The estimated cost for the project would be $62 million and estimated ridership is as high as 4,000 people per hour during peak periods.
Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti noted that “Hudson County has been the economic engine of New Jersey. Part of our strength is our commitment to mass transit such as buses, ferries and light rail. As we look to the future, the potential development of an aerial gondola is a natural fit.”
Mayor Davis’ support is critical in advancing the engineering study which will include information related to vehicular traffic changes, connectivity opportunities to mass transit, enhancements of services for commuters, residents and tourists. There are also opportunities for catalytic development in the neighborhoods surrounding the stations.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Chairman of the NJ Assembly Transportation Committee, who helped organize the meeting added “By virtue of our geography, New Jersey has always served as a vital link in the movement of people and goods along the East Coast. The proposed Bayonne – Staten Island Aerial Gondola is an innovative and low cost way to link communities and people. I believe we should embrace the future of transportation and economic development than by linking Staten Island and Bayonne with this reliable, cost-effective and modern means of transport”

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers
Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at Little City Books at 100 Bloomfield St, Hoboken, NJ on Wednesday, October 25th at 7:00 p.m. Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures. For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.
Chamber seeking nonperishable donations and gift cards for Thanksgiving food drive

The Bayonne Chamber of Commerce is enlisting the help of city residents and visitors for its annual “Give Thanks” food drive.
The drive runs from now through Oct. 30.
“We’re proud to be one of the 25-strong partners working with the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce to help feed our neighbors in need this Thanksgiving,” said Catherine Shull Fernald, Chief Operating Officer of CarePoint Health-Bayonne Medical Center, a chamber member.
“Join us by dropping off non-perishable food items or food gift cards at one of the many participating locations,” she added.
Food and gift card drop-off sites are the 8th Street Diner & Bistro, A Plus Personnel, Allstate, Amobelge Shipping, Bayonne Community Bank, Bayonne Exterminating Co., Bayonne Public Library, Broadway Diner, CarePoint Health-Bayonne Medical Center and Delta Holdings.
Also, European Day Spa, Exit on the Hudson Realty, Hendrickson’s Corner, the Bayonne Community News, Little Family Dentistry, Midtown Auto Repair, Nutrition Health Restoration, Planet Wings, Provident Bank, Suez Environmental, Triangle TV and Winners.

Mayor Davis’s Tuesday evening office hours suspended for November

Tuesday evening office hours at the mayor’s office will be suspended for the month of November 2017 due to holidays and conflicting events. On Tuesday, November 7, City Hall offices are closed for Election Day. On Tuesday, November 14, Mayor Davis and other officials will be attending the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference. During the last two weeks of November, the schedule is crowded with various events related to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season.
Anyone requesting a meeting with Mayor Davis in November should ask for an appointment during daytime business hours by calling 201-858-6010.
Mayor Davis’s evening office hours will take place again on Tuesday, December 5, at the special time of 5:30 p.m., following the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Fitzpatrick Park.

Seven works of art unveiled on streets in downtown Bayonne

On Thursday, October 12, local artists and City officials unveiled a series of seven works of art that are located on utility boxes and former fire alarm boxes between 5th Street and 9th Street. The art program is administered by Bayonne’s Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ).
Speaking at a gathering at the Bridge Art Gallery, Mayor Davis thanked all of the artists for their work. He also pointed to the growing popularity of the arts in the community. He cited the large crowds at Bayonne’s Summer Sounds concert series as proof of the increasing support for the arts in Bayonne. Mayor Davis said that “talented and theatrical people are here. All they needed was for someone to say, ‘Express yourself.’” Mayor Davis described Bayonne as “a special place, and that it’s going to become even more special.” He said, “We are Bayonne. We can say it with pride again.” He concluded his remarks by saying, “We have a lot more work to do.”
UEZ Coordinator Terrence Malloy thanked the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs for funding the art program. Koren Frankfort, the Acting Director of that division, credited Bayonne resident Bill LaRosa, the former Director of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, for his enthusiastic support for the utility box art. She congratulated gallery owner Cheryl Mack and the participating artists for the work they have done in Bayonne.
Malloy credited Jersey City’s Central Avenue Improvement District for developing the idea for utility box art in a commercial area. He thanked the UEZ staff and BCB Community Bank for helping to make the program possible. Malloy expressed gratitude to Verizon for allowing art to be painted on some of its utility boxes, and to Conrail for allowing a mural to be painted on its railroad overpass property.
Citing the role of Mayor Jimmy Davis, Malloy said that it took “a person of vision to turn Bayonne around.” Malloy described art and music as being part of that vision. In the near future, Malloy said, the art portion of Mayor Davis’s vision will be expanded to include more utility box art and statues in commercial areas.
A crowd of about 100 went with City officials and artists for the unveilings of each new work of street art. There were seven works of art on utility boxes and decommissioned fire alarm boxes.
1) A painting by Tiffany Dancy called Dance of a Beautiful Friendship graces a utility box at 5th Street and Broadway.
2) A painting by Jeff Ware (also known as Klone Killa) called Day Glow Djinn’s covers an old fire alarm box at 7th Street and Broadway.
3) A painting by Maria Lupianez depicts a little girl holding a popsicle. That painting is featured on a utility box at Broadway and Cottage Street.
4) A second painting, Serenity Now, by Jeff Ware (also known as Klone Killa) brightens an old fire alarm box at Broadway and Cottage Street.
5) Aquarium, a painting by Gary Wynans, depicts fish on a utility box on Cottage Street.
6) A photographic painting by Stephanie Petersendepicts a locomotive in front of the old 8th Street Station. That painting is located on a utility box at 8th Street and Broadway.
7) The Archway, a painting by Samantha Llanes, depicts local buildings. It is painted on a utility box at 9th Street and Broadway.
The art project also includes a new mural by Billy Zyblut on a railroad overpass. The Zyblut work serves as a welcoming gateway to the Bergen Point neighborhood. His new mural replaced an advertisement for the Burger King restaurant that used to be located in the 8th Street neighborhood.

NJ loses federal funding to expand healthcare enrollment

A new report released Wednesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that New Jersey will lose more than 60 percent of the federal funding it expected to receive this year to help enroll vulnerable people in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act. The cuts are part of $26 million in reductions at the national level that are scheduled to go into effect in September, 2018.

Novelist offers one-shot writing class to get your story onto paper

Do you have a piece of writing, or an idea for a piece of writing (memoir, novel, script), and you need feedback on it or ideas on how to get it published? Now you can learn how in your own back yard. Local novelist (and Reporter editor) Caren Lissner is doing a one-shot writing (and publishing) class at Little City Books in Hoboken on the evening of Nov. 2, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The store is five blocks from the Hoboken light rail station. The class is open to all stages, ages, and genres – from memoirs to fiction to scripts.
Those who’ve written their story, essay, poem, novel excerpt, or screenplay can bring 1 to 5 double-spaced pages, or those who just want to participate in discussion (auditors) can come and sit in. But space is limited, so register using the link below or go to “events” for Nov. 2 at littlecitybooks.com.
Lissner won awards from the Bayonne Writers’ Group years ago. Her funny first novel, “Carrie Pilby,” was just turned into a comedy movie starring Nathan Lane, currently available for viewing on Netflix. She has also published articles, essays, and satire in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Harper’s, McSweeney’s, and National Lampoon.
Lissner has run publishing/writing seminars for adults and teens at local libraries and bookstores, and as part of a Scholastic Inc. program in New York. Find out more at carenlissner.com.
There is a nominal fee for the one-shot program, and it’s lower for those who are just auditing. For more information, click here: http://www.littlecitybooks.com/event/get-it-out-writing-and-publishing-workshop-caren-lissner

The Peninsula City is in a time of reckoning with its past, and planning for the future. Cranes and construction crews are regularly seen in Bayonne’s dense housing market. Financial uncertainty at the school district triggered unrest among parents and students in the spring, while the mayor’s race kicked off in the fall. Candid conversations have taken place about the city’s need for more mass transit options and parking solutions. A lot has happened in 2017 – here is a rundown.

Housing

The cost of housing in Bayonne has risen faster than inflation, and faster than wages over the last decade, according to U.S. Census data released in December.But the city has plenty of space to build more housing, and that’s exactly what it is encouraging developers to do, albeit through financial incentives sometimes unpopular with residents. The market price of homes for sale, meanwhile, continues to rise.
Bayonne revised its Master Plan in July for the first time since 2000. Master plans outline the long-term vision for a community’s built environment and guide decisions about land use while promoting quality of life.
The new Master Plan promotes contemporary urban planning principles, especially in the areas surrounding light rail stations, to create high-density, walkable, bike-able, and mixed-used development. The plan recommends the city establish “station area plans” for neighborhoods within a quarter mile of a light rail station as “transit villages.”
“Our assets are our charm and home life,” said Bayonne City Planner Suzanne Mack, who wrote the 2000 plan. “We’ve moved from being an industrial giant, an oil tank farm basically, into more of a bedroom community with a lot of community resources.” The plan reconciles residents’ differing views on where large developments should go and how big they should be.
It creates two tiers of zoning. “Catalyst” projects would allow for buildings between eight and ten stories, and require public open space, while “non-catalyst” projects would be between four and eight stories.
Catalyst projects within a four-block radius of the 22nd Street Light Rail station include 19 East, a 138-unit luxury rental building; Madison Hill on the former site of CJ Murphy; Skye Lofts South and Sky Lofts North, both on Avenue E combining for nearly 200 units; and a 180-unit Parkview Realty residential development.
On the former Military Ocean Terminal Base, multiple large residential developments are set to break ground after years of environmental remediation and financial planning. Those plans have even attracted a Costco to the area of Route 440 near the 34th Street Light Rail Station, in close proximity to residential developments on the base.
The area near South Cove Commons, directly south of the base, will also see development in the coming year, including a hotel, residential building, and mixed-use office space.
No developer is too big for the City of Bayonne. In September, the city joined hundreds of cities across the U.S. and Canada in responding to Amazon’s request for proposals for a location to build its second headquarters. Bayonne says the former Military Ocean Terminal Base would be a great location for the headquarters with its expanse of undeveloped,shovel-ready land facing the New York Harbor. Gov. Chris Christie officially recommended Newark with a $7 billion package of tax breaks for the retail giant, which ranks 26th in the world in revenue.

A new healthcare provider in town

In June 2017, Barnabas Health at Bayonne opened on 24th Street and Broadway. The three-story, 80,000- square-foot medical facility includes an imaging center, retail pharmacy, pediatric center, primary care services, women’s health services, physical therapy, laboratory drawing station, and emergency services. The ceremony featured the Bayonne High School marching band performing outside of the soon-to-be emergency entrance.
Bayonne already has a full-service hospital a few blocks away, so for some, the new medical facility seemed redundant. Last year, RWJ Barnabas applied for a waiver for its new Bayonne location to be designated as a satellite emergency department (SED), citing its growing volume of ER visits from Bayonne and southern Jersey City.

Transportation and infrastructure

The Bayonne Bridge and Exit 14A on the NJ Turnpike underwent massive construction projects in 2017. “Raise the Roadway,” which raised the navigational clearance of the bridge by 64 feet, was concurrent with deepening the channel.”
A crowd gathered along Dennis Collins Park on a cool September morning to watch one of the new behemoth container ships, the CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt, navigate the newly-deepened Kill Van Kull and pass under the newly-raised Bayonne Bridge. The $2.1 billion Main Navigation Channel Deepening Project, which started in 2004, deepened the harbor by 50 feet to allow for such container ships to access the terminals at Port Newark, GCT Bayonne, and the Howland Hook Marine Terminal.
The entire bridge project will not be completed until 2019, when the temporary two-lane road becomes a permanent four-lane road with a path accessible by bicycle and foot, as well as new piers, a new roadway deck, and new approach roads. The projected cost of $1.3 billion ballooned to $1.6 billion.
The “Interchange 14A Improvement Project” is slated for a 2018 completion. The project calls for increasing the toll plaza capacity from 11 to 13 lanes, extending the ramp from Interchange 14A westbound, expanding the Hudson County Extension to two lanes, and replacing the existing two-lane connector bridge with a new four-lane structure to Routes 440, Route 185, and Port Jersey Boulevard. A new flyover ramp is also being constructed from the interchange and Port Jersey Boulevard to Route 440 south. The existing traffic signal at East 53rd Street will be removed, and the new roundabout will maintain permanent access to the 14A Interchange.
The city has been pushing hard for a ferry on the former Military Ocean Terminal Base, an empty tract of land attracting a bevy of developers. In late February, city officials and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey agreed to perform an impact study to determine future demand for a ferry slip on the base.
Local officials on both sides of the Kill Van Kull are onboard with the idea of constructing an aerial gondola over the Kill Van Kull from Elm Park in Staten Island to Bayonne. When the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) unveiled the winner of its international design contest in September of 2016, the concept was initially considered unrealistic. The private venture would cost more than $60 million.
The Master Plan also calls for a crosstownshuttle bus. While that proposal seems unlikely in the short term, a bike-share option has also been proposed. “Bayonne Bike Share” signs and stations of bicycles are popping up around town with maps indicating the locations of seven stations, which occupy the equivalent of one parking space. High-tech racks automatically lock the bikes’ front rims.

Reval

A citywide property reval was ordered by the Hudson County Board of Taxation in April of 2016. The Bayonne Tax Assessor’s Office is responsible for making the first new tax maps since the last reval in 1991. Revals are supposed to take place when assessed value of properties falls too far out of sync with true market values. When the city is finished creating new physical and digital maps, the process will be handed off to a contractor who will assess all 13,948 parcels of land in Bayonne across every zoning category: industrial, commercial, and residential. The reval can result in higher property tax bills for many homes.
Meanwhile, a federal tax bill signed by President Trump may depress or stagnate home values in high-tax states like New Jersey, while capping state and local tax deductions at $10,000, which could hurt Bayonne homeowners who itemize their taxes.

Politics

In January, a President who received 20 percent of the vote in Hudson County was sworn into office. In November, Democrat Phil Murphy was elected governor while carrying 63 percent of the vote in Bayonne. That same election saw surprising results at the Bayonne Board of Education (BBOED) where one incumbent and two new trustees were elected. The BBOED put added pressure on the city by levying a 4 percent local property tax in March after a $2 million budget deficit unearthed in November of 2016 triggered the board to take drastic measures. An audit of the district’s finances revealed in November of 2017 that the district does not have a deficit, but alleged improper practices by a former accountant made it look as if there were one. Now, the district is not underwater financially, but is operating with very low reserve funds, which can result in a budget deficit in the event of a financial emergency.
A combination of increased property taxes and cost of living, uncertainty at the BBOED, and a controversial strategy of attracting real estate development has created an active political climate not so different from the one in 2014 when James Davis won the mayoral race by a small margin. Voters will have the choice in May whether to stay the course with Davis.
In October, former NJ Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell announced his bid for Bayonne mayor. Three council candidates have joined his slate to challenge Davis and his slate of incumbent council members, all elected in 2014. Davis announced his bid for re-election in October. Two of the incumbent city council members have announced runs on Davis’s slate.
City Council President and Councilwoman-at-large Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski and Councilman-at-Large Juan Perez have announced bids for re-election. They will face O’Donnell’s slate of candidates for At-Large City Council, Daniel Ward, Director of the Social Studies and Library/Media Science Programs at the Bayonne School District, and Melissa Enriquez-Rada, a Bayonne real estate agent and president of the Rotary Club of Bayonne.
Kevin Kuhl, owner of the East Side bar, Kuhl’s Tavern, will run for Second Ward council seat, currently occupied by Councilman Sal Gullace. There is no indication that any of the three seated City Council members who have not announced a re-election run will not seek re-election. The remaining two O’Donnell candidates are expected to be announced in January.

‘Sexting’ even in Bayonne

In a year of shifting cultural attitudes toward patriarchy, Mayor James Davis was thrown into the center of a “sexting” scandal. At a May City Council meeting, Stacie Percella, a former city employee who worked on Davis’s mayoral campaign, accused Davis of allegedly sending her sexually explicit text messages both during the campaign and while she worked for the city, between 2013 and 2015.
No resignation followed, but an apology did. Damage to Davis’s political reputation will be measured in the 2018 mayoral election. Mayoral candidate Jason O’Donnell has criticized Davis’s character over the issue.

A racial divide

All eyes were on Bayonne in March when the Zoning Board voted down a proposal by Bayonne Muslims, a local Muslim organization, to build a mosque and community center on East 24th Street. The group, whichapplied for bulk variance relief to convert an unused warehouse on a dead-end street and was met with fervent opposition by some residents, citing concerns of increased traffic, less parking for residents, and a poor “fit” for the community. Despite the result, supporters of the Bayonne Muslim community came out in force to the meeting.
The issue has sown social divisions in the city since the proposal was first introduced in 2015, while Islamophobia across the country has spiked. Meanwhile, the Muslim community in Bayonne has been without a place of worship within the city since their last lease at St. Henry’s Church expired at the beginning of 2017.
Bayonne Muslims has since sued the city for discrimination in federal court, seeking approval to build a mosque and community center.

Open Space

Dennis Collins Park on First Street, one of Bayonne’s largest parks, underwent a large renovation. New playground equipment, exercise equipment, bean toss, a patio area for leisure and yoga, and solar charging stations will be installed.
The project also installed a new volleyball court, resurfaced two tennis courts, and renovated and relocated two dog parks. New playground equipment includes ADA-accessible swings, tot swings, a dual beam Kid Koaster, a standing rocker, and a Volta Inclusive Spinner.New exercise equipment includes ellipticals and steppers.
The long-term goal is to make most of the Bayonne shorefront accessible and walkable. City officials and the Port Authority have discussed the potential for a linear park underneath the Bayonne Bridge that would start at 5th Street and extend south to Dennis Collins Park and could include a walkway, bike path, parkland, playground, and other amenities. The walkway would extend north up Bayonne’s western shore to connect to 16th Street Park, Stephen R. Gregg Park, and Rutkowski Park.
Stephen R. Gregg Park got $3.7 million worth of waterfront ballfields. Also known as Hudson County Park, it has more than 100 acres of open space that includes ballfields, tennis courts, basketball courts, bocce courts, horseshoe pits, and a running track. Now it’s resurfaced two full-size soccer fields and two mini soccer fields with turf, and added two full-size softball fields, all with new landscaping and LED lighting (the same lighting used by the University of Arizona).
The park, which is maintained by the county, was improved using County Capital Funds.
A pond renovation in July and August beautified the northern-most section near Rutkowski Park. The manmade pond, which was filling up with muck and leaves, was drained to add a new sodium bentonite liner layered with sand to prevent water from leaking into the soil, as well as coir logs that allow plants to grow around the pond’s edge, which features a new walkway.
Development has opened the door to public-private spaces that will be included in some large residential developments. Meanwhile, the McDonald’s on Broadway will be pushed back to make room for a private-public plaza on the corner of West 25th Street.

Education

After years of underfunding, NJ Gov. Chris Christie and the state legislature agreed in June to a school funding formula that allocated Bayonne six percent more than what Christie originally called for, amounting to about $3.2 million.
Statewide, the new funding formula increased state funding by $125 million, with $25 million allocated to expand pre-k and kindergarten expansion. In November, the Bayonne school district expanded pre-k to dozens of students after it was awarded a Preschool Education Expansion Aid grant, part of the$25 million in earmarked funds from July’s state school funding agreement, from which Bayonne gained an additional $2.9 million in state aid.
The Bayonne School District is expanding pre-k this year to dozens of students after it was awarded a Preschool Education Expansion Aid (PEEA) grant of $770,982. The funds will go to providing all-day pre-k to 65 children who will be admitted through a lottery system.
State-certified pre-k teachers will lead classes in five schools in all parts of Bayonne. Henry E. Harris School, Lincoln Community School, Philip G. Vroom School, Washington Community School, and Midtown Community School will each host one class.
The city will maintain free half-day programs, which run in every elementary school. Last year, the district had 468 children in half-day pre-k. Nineteen kids in Bayonne are currently enrolled in the district’s full-day program at Nicholas Oresko Community School, which charges a fee. Those students will be guaranteed a spot in the new program.
With limited classroom space, the Bayonne Board of Education was considering using modular classrooms outside the main buildings, but decided against the plan for reasons of cost efficiency.

Entertainment

The city organized more entertainment than ever in 2017. Aside from festival staples like the Hometown Fair and Bergen Point Fall Festival, which saw tens of thousands of attendees, the Renaissance Festival ran for its second year in July, and the Urban Enterprise Zone sponsored a Music on Broadway series that featured live performances at dozens of locations along Broadway.
When a hurricane devastated eastern Texas in September, Bayonne pooled resources for a newly-named sister city, Baytown, Texas in a concert fundraiser called “Bayonne to Baytown,” which featured Tammy Blanchard, Chuck Wepner, and Mayor Davis, who wore a cowboy hat. Bergen Point also attracted a new festival at Dennis Collins Park, the Bridge Arts Festival, organized by the Bridge Art Gallery in Bergen Point.

Rory Pasquariello can be reached at roryp@hudsonreporter.com.