November 12, 2019

Hoboken awarded over $1.8 million in grant funding for park projects

Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla announced today that the City of Hoboken was awarded $1,819,132 in grant funding from the State of New Jersey and Hudson County for open space and park projects. Hoboken received $1,069,132 in Green Acres funding through the State for the creation of Cove Park as part of the City’s Rebuild by Design project, as well as the restoration of a portion of the waterfront walkway in Hoboken at Weehawken Cove. Hudson County awarded the City $500,000 for the construction of the Northwest Resiliency Park, as well as $250,000 for the renovation of dog runs at Stevens Park and Church Square Park.

“I’m incredibly thrilled Hoboken has been selected for these major sources of funding for our open space initiatives,” said Mayor Bhalla. There are no two more important park projects currently underway in Hoboken than our Northwest and Cove resiliency parks, which will become models for the State and region for including above and below ground infrastructure to address flooding. Thank you to Governor Phil Murphy, County Executive Tom DeGise, and Freeholder Anthony Romano for the generous grant awards, which will also help provide much needed upgrades to our existing dog runs.”

“We are pleased to continue to assist Hoboken in its efforts to expand and improve open space through the Hudson County Open Space Trust,” said Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise. “Hoboken has so much to offer, helping them construct parks and recreation space for everyone (including pets!) is crucial to the city’s growth and quality of life."

$1,000,000 of the Green Acres funding will support the redevelopment of Harborside Park into Cove Park, which will be included in the Rebuild by Design coastal flood risk reduction strategy. The park will serve the dual purpose of providing both open space amenities, and including above ground infrastructure to protect Hoboken from storm surge. The park will consist of approximately three acres, and will become the first park in New Jersey with elevated flood protection features. $69,132 of the Green Acres funding will be allocated for repairs to the waterfront walkway near Cove Park at 16th Street and a living shoreline pilot project.

Through Hudson County’s Open Space Trust Fund, $500,000 will help offset the cost of construction of the five acre Northwest Resiliency Park. In addition to open space amenities, the park includes above ground green infrastructure to absorb and manage up to 1 million gallons of water during rain events, and an underground tank and filtration system to store an additional 1 million gallons of rainwater. The park will become New Jersey’s largest resiliency park when complete.

$250,000 was also awarded through Hudson County for the renovation of the dog runs at Church Square Park and Stevens Park. The dog runs will be upgraded to include new, modern canine synthetic turf surfaces to replace the gravel surfaces. The dog run renovations will also upgrade the water fountains at both parks, and improve shade at the large dog run in Church Square Park.

More information about Cove Park can be found by clicking here.

More information about the Northwest Resiliency Park can be found by clicking here.

Overall design of Hoboken’s Northwest Resiliency Park (currently under construction)

  

Renderings of Hoboken’s Cove Park (Meadow design)
Canine turf surface at dog run at 2nd and Hudson, a similar surface which will be used at the dog runs at Church Square and Stevens Parks