Mayor Healy speaks at today’s press conference; he is surrounded by members of the Jersey City Parks Coalition and a number of city agencies.

On this year’s Make a Difference Day, the Jersey City Parks Coalition, several city agencies and scores of volunteers plan to plant 17,000 daffodils and tulips at 80 locations throughout the city, the groups announced at a press conference today.

This is the first citywide event for the Parks Coalition, which has already established community gardens in 10 of its 14 member parks and led spring plantings in many of the city’s parks.

“We really saw this as a way of making a difference in our community by planting bulbs that bloom in the spring, yielding colorful flowers in our parks and at our gateways,” Big Dig project manager Charlene Burke says in a statement. “Participating in an event like this is not only a great way to improve your community, but also helps you meet your neighbors that share a common goal.”

Dozens of city parks, select open spaces, schools, libraries, historic cemeteries and gateways to the city will be blooming in yellows, oranges and reds for April and May 2012 due to the efforts taken this month.

“Planting bulbs in every ward and at prominent and visible entries will hopefully encourage neighbors to take the next step in the Spring of 2012 and develop small community gardens which the city is encouraging through our ‘Adopt-A-Lot’ program and our ’365 Days of Green’ program,” Mayor Healy says in a statement. “We encourage residents to come out and support this event and in the days following to continue to help make Jersey City a greener city.”

The Big Dig event will take place Saturday, October 22 at a number of city locations. Volunteers and donors are still needed for the planting day; for more information, call Burke at 201-344-2060 or Laura Skolar at 201-259-1800.

The survey will help guide planners as they undertake a formal reexamination of the county’s Open Space Plan.

To take the survey in English, click here.

To take it in Spanish, click here.

“[The proposed settlement can] end the disputes and litigation that have continued for over five years,” the April 12 letter from Hyman’s attorney Daniel Horgan to the city reads. “These terms give consideration to the interests of the city and to all parties, but the overarching goal is to provide for the meaningful and productive use of over 25 acres of property in the heart of Jersey City that can help the city and its taxpayers in these most difficult economic times.”

Since purchasing the six elevated blocks in 2005, Hyman has been engaged in a number of legal battles with the city over his desire to develop parts of the property, as the city and Downtown activists continue to fight to preserve the land for a public park, and potentially a light rail extension.

Hyman, who has spent millions on the epic legal battle with Jersey City, often makes his case in economic terms, criticizing the city’s willingness to spend massive amounts on the various cases, as well as its unwillingness to allow him to bring new properties — and new property taxes — on line.

Hyman’s offer to the council Wednesday was a compromise deal he has been hinting at for months, and it comes about a year after he rejected the city’s plan to buy the entire collection of properties for up to $7.6 million. Under the proposal, Hyman would have kept four of the elevated parcels and sold the city two of them for $10 million, with the stipulation that the city could not transfer the deeds to another developer and would have to use the two blocks for a public park.

In addition, the city would have to create a Redevelopment Plan for Hyman’s four parcels, as well as a number of land parcels west of the Embankment under the Turnpike extension that are currently owned by Conrail, the railroad company that originally sold the Embankment properties to Hyman.

“The Conrail property has an important relationship to the sound redevelopment planning of the Embankment property, and is uniquely suited as a hub that can be served by mass transit to permit significant levels of urban development,” the proposed settlement reads.

The proposal requested the right to build 1,800 residential units on the four Embankment properties, as well as 4,000 residential units and 2 million square feet of commercial space on the Conrail properties “without any restrictions under programs of historic preservation, or otherwise, whatsoever.” It also proposed using part of the Conrail properties for a possible light rail line that would connect the Journal Square PATH station and the current light rail tracks near 18th Street and the Hoboken border.

The administration says it is glad the council rejected what it dubs a “preposterous” settlement.

“We will continue to fight for the preservation of the Embankment for the creation of a world-class elevated park and a transportation corridor, while remaining open to any reasonable settlement proposals,” city spokesperson Jennifer Morrill says. “Unfortunately this wasn’t one.”

Proposed Embankment Settlement

When Hudson County first unveiled a plan to renovate and expand the ballfields on the Union City side of Washington Park, the Washington Park Association (WPA) flooded a county freeholders’ meeting to speak against the installation of a new turf field and ask the county to preserve the area for passive recreation instead.

While the WPA wasn’t able to stop the field, it has earned itself a seat at the table after extended talks with officials from both Union City and Hudson County, who have agreed to partner with the neighborhood group to include green design and sustainability features in the new field. In a statement released Friday, the WPA says the partnership will “fulfill the greatest community need while having the least possible impact on surrounding neighborhoods and ecosystems.”

The parcel of the park in question — Park No. 3 — is bounded by Paterson Plank Road, 2nd Street, and New York Avenue and Palisade Avenue at the southern edge of Union City. Under that city’s proposal, the current baseball field will be expanded to accommodate a multi-purpose, synthetic turf field for football, soccer, and baseball.

“Park No. 3 has long been in need of an upgrade,” WPA president Mory Thomas says in a statement. “I am confident that together with the city and the county, we will design a top-notch recreational facility for local children and their families that will also exhibit sustainable designs and serve as a model for other parks in our county.”

Under the new plan, the three parties (WPA, Union City and Hudson County) will form a Community Visioning Committee, which will include residents of both Union City and Jersey City, since the park is in both municipalities. The committee will get input from the community regarding traffic, parking, environmental and other local concerns.

Union City and the county have so far agreed to plant 100 new trees in the park to replace those that will be removed for the field; offer healthy and natural foods in the new concession stand; allow “easy public access” to the field; incorporate eco-friendly and respectful lighting and sound systems; look into sustainable infrastructure options for the field and irrigation systems; and study traffic and parking patterns to optimize the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic around the park.

“I look forward to working with both the Washington Park Association and Hudson County, as we collaborate on an effort to improve Washington Park for the surrounding community,” said Union City mayor Brian Stack says in a statement. “We recognize that park space and recreational facilities are extremely valuable in our urban setting and we look forward to providing a premier facility for local residents.”

The WPA says it will be seeking advice from outside experts to help with the field design process while funding for the renovations are finalized over the next year.

A much-needed 15,000 square feet park in a mostly industrial area near Journal Square will officially open to the public Thursday after a formal dedication and Veterans Day ceremony. The park, which was built by the developers of the CANCOlofts across the street (who have dubbed it CANCOpark), will include open green space, landscaping and seating.

“Local businesses, neighbors, residents — everyone is anticipating the opening of this park,” CANCOlofts sales/marketing director Jodi Stasse says. “We are proud to be introducing this beautiful, quiet space to the neighborhood on a day of such importance and reflection.”

At tomorrow’s public ceremony, which will be led by Mayor Healy and is expected to include other local officials, a permanent plaque in the park dedicated to the memory of fallen veterans will be unveiled.

The creation of the park came after the City Council earlier this year revised the redevelopment plan for the area (known as the Marion Works Residential/Office Overlay Zone District), allowing greater density for new construction when a developer builds a new park for the neighborhood.

THE DETAILS

CANCOpark Dedication Ceremony; Thursday, November 11 at 11 am; 50 Dey St.

Want your event listed on our calendar? You can submit it yourself — just click here and follow the simple instructions.

TODAY

You might take parking spaces for granted, but today the Hudson County TMA is encouraging us to think a bit more about them with a local staging of Park(ing) Day, which converts metered parking spaces into a temporary public park. This year’s theme is “Shakespeare in the Park” — you can catch all the action today by the Pavonia/Newport PATH station, along Town Square Place and Washington Boulevard (10 am to 4 pm). Art House Productions will play host to The Laugh Tour comedy show, featuring the Tonight Show‘s Jessica Kirson and Rich Kiamco (8 pm, $15-20). And for all you spoken-word warriors, the JC Slam returns to the Grassroots Community Space after a little vacation (9 pm). If you’re searching for more continental fare, the Actors Shakespeare Company‘s production of The Kid From Paris continues its run this weekend at the West Side Theater, with shows on Saturday and Sunday as well (7:30 pm, $15-30).

SATURDAY

The Jersey City Free Public Library‘s third annual Tale of Our City Book Festival should be on your list; it’s a great chance to mix and mingle with some of Chilltown’s own best authors (10 am to 4 pm). Or if you’ve got ciclismo on your mind, head over to Lincoln Park and check out a free bicycle safety seminar, to be conducted en español for the Spanish-speaking community (11 am to 3 pm). Liberty Humane Society‘s two-day circus-themed pet adoption event, Cirque du Septembre, kicks off at noon and is open all day until 8 pm (Sunday noon to 5 pm). Up in the Heights, Washington Park celebrates its 100th birthday with a festival featuring live music, art exhibits, a chess workshop and concessions provided by Hudson County Community College‘s famous Culinary Division (noon to 5 pm).

In the evening, stop by LITM and lend a hand with Jersey City resident Brendan Doohan‘s effort to raise funds for Kenya’s Limuru Children’s Center — Doohan is fundraising for the charity as part of his participation in the New York City Marathon this fall. The Race for Kenya will feature live music from Bern & the Brights, Copesetic, The Micks and Gazelle (9 pm; $20). And you night owls can keep the party going strong at the Lamp Post, where you can catch a local punk lineup of Destitute NJ, Polyabuse and The Krays.

SUNDAY

With such a busy Friday and Saturday, you might not have had the chance to check out two great church festivals happening this weekend, but luckily they’ll still be happening on Sunday: the St. Paul of the Cross Heritage Festival in the Heights features a performance by Lip Service (2 pm to 11 pm); and Sunday is Filipino Night at the St. Joseph’s Parish Festival in the Hilltop neighborhood (4 pm to 9:30 pm). You could also swing by Made with Love for the latest installment of Ladies on the Mic, featuring a handful of writers, singers and performers (4 pm). Later on, kick back and check out the latest installment of Jersey City Art School’s Sunday Night Film Forum, with a screening and discussion of Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (7:30 pm).

A rendering of the new park space set to come to Journal Square

A much-needed 15,000 square feet of green space is coming to a mostly industrial area west of Journal Square, thanks to a high-end condo development.

CANCOlofts announced this week that construction has begun on the new park, located across the street from its main building on Dey Street. In the inverse of the famed Joni Mitchell song, the park will replace a parking lot there, and it is slated to be finished and opened to the public by the end of October.

The creation of the park (which the developers have dubbed CANCOpark) comes after the City Council earlier this year revised the redevelopment plan for the area (known as the Marion Works Residential/Office Overlay Zone District), allowing greater density for new construction when a developer builds a new park for the neighborhood.

“The addition of CANCOpark will further enhance a neighborhood that has already been revitalized by the presence of CANCOlofts,” Jodi Stasse, the development’s director of sales and marketing, says in a statement.

In addition to the new memorial, the refurbished corner park, which is part of the broader Newark Avenue Streetscape Improvement project, has new street lights, newly planted trees and new benches. (You may recall that when the old trees that towered in the space were cut down last year, some residents were up in arms.)

“These types of improvements can help attract new businesses to the neighborhood, attract others to move and visit our great city,” Healy says in a statement. “Restoring our treasured city neighborhoods is an essential step in spurring economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for those who reside here.”

Paulus Hook Park, which is located at all four corners of the Washington/Grand intersection in Downtown Jersey City, is going to be revamped, and the Historic Paulus Hook Association (HPHA) is seeking input from all Jersey City residents on the redesign, including what type of activities the park should support, whether or not there should be an attempt to calm traffic at the intersection, and other details.

The HPHA says each corner could potentially have a different focus, but the entire park will be tied together with a single vision. One thing is already known: the southwest corner will be a playground for the neighborhood and for children who attend PS 16 next door.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete, and you can find a link to it here. It’s open to anyone who lives in Jersey City, and it will be open until March 1. The results will be presented at the HPHA’s April meeting — April 1, at 7:30 pm, at the OLC Community Hall (114-118 Sussex St.).

The original Park(ing) Day in San Francisco. Photo: Rebar/Andrea Scher

Originally created by a San Francisco art and design collective in 2005, Park(ing) Day has grown into an annual global event where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. Last year, there were nearly 60 such temporary parks in New York City alone.

This year, Hudson County is getting into the act. For Park(ing) Day, which is this Friday, Sept. 18, the county’s Division of Planning will reclaim a parking spot on Newark Avenue in front of the Historic Brennan Court House.

The park will be active from 10:30 am to 4 pm, and “will include landscaping, chairs, hopscotch, a bicycle and an informational booth with literature provided by the Hudson County Improvement Authority and Hudson Transportation Management Association,” Hudson County planner Megan Massey tells JCI. She recently took some time to answer some questions via email about what is one of the only Park(ing) Day events in New Jersey.

Why participate? What’s the goal here?

Park(ing) Day provides an opportunity for the county to showcase its creativity in a public space. We are taking an area that is used exclusively for cars and creating a space where residents can relax, play and learn for the day.

Our goal is to make residents aware of the county’s efforts toward sustainable living, open space and recreation. By reclaiming a parking spot for the day we are encouraging residents to use alternate means of transportation whenever possible. Residents should be walking or riding a bike for trips throughout their immediate area instead of relying on their cars.

How did Hudson’s participation come about?

Hudson County’s Division of Planning was aware of the Park(ing) Day group created in NYC and wanted to bring the fun event to the other side of the Hudson River.

Park(ing) Day is, in this area, a very NYC-centric event — do you think other New Jersey locales might follow your example?

The county decided to make it a small event for the first year, but the goal for next year is to have all 12 municipalities join in and create their own theme for their selected parking space.

Putting aside the day for a moment, tell me a little more about what the county is doing on the open space front.

The Hudson County Open Space, Recreation & Historic Preservation Trust Fund was established by resolution from the Board of Chosen Freeholders on Dec. 23, 2003. The trust fund is dedicated to the acquisition of land for conservation, open space, historic preservation and recreation facilities. The Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board has the privilege of reviewing and recommending various projects that have been submitted throughout the County. The Open Space Trust Fund has aided in the creation of beautiful parks and recreational facilities that will continue to benefit the community.

Hudson County is committed to promoting sustainable living and accomplishing the goal set out by the County Executive of planting 10,000 new shade trees along our county road system in the next ten years.

To encourage sustainability, the Division of Planning requires all applicants before the County Planning Board to implement green techniques that promote walking and bicycling and reduce the site’s impervious coverage. The county is currently looking for various ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating an alternate transportation system and promoting a “buy local” program.

The county, along with the Division of Planning, is committed to promoting sustainable planning that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” as was stated by the Brundtland Commission (formerly known as the World Commission on Environment and Development).