Council Approves $20 Million Bond

The Hoboken City Council bond to acquire a . It’s still unclear where the park will be, but Mayor Dawn Zimmer as well as council members would like to see the park somewhere on the West Side of town.

It’s still unclear, however, where exactly the park will be.

Mayor Dawn Zimmer, during an interview on Wednesday afternoon said that locations have been identified to potentially buy, but she would not specify. She said the city is looking at the west side of town, focusing on the third, fourth and fifth wards.

Although most members of the council majority voted against the bond during the last meeting when it was introduced, the bond was passed unanimously on Wednesday night. The money for the bond will come out of the Open Public Space Trustfund, the mayor said.

The $20 million will be used for the purchase of the land, but doesn’t include the cost of any remediation or improvements. 

“Where is the park?” Hoboken resident, and Fifth Ward Council candidate Perry Belfiore asked repeatedly. “You’re funding $20 million on a pipe dream,” Belfiore said.

Zimmer said she invited Council members Michael Russo, Tim Occhipinti and Peter Cunningham to her office to discuss potential locations for parks. She said also that she has been committed to a new park on the West side of town for a long time, ever since she got involved in government.

With city-wide council elections less than two months away, some have said that voting on this bond is a political move on the part of those who are up for re-election. But, said Sixth Ward Councilman Nino Giacchi, "if it takes an election for some good bond ordinance, so be it."

Zimmer said that the passing of this bond—and the subsequent purchase of land—is a "very important step."

"I’d like to challenge the mayor and use as much of this 20 million bond as possible," Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti said, “to make that dream for the fourth ward come true.”

The six council candidates who are running with Zimmer’s endorsement also supported the bond ordinance.

"I am glad the Mayor's Parks plan will pass, but if our council members had been more knowledgeable about the law and their responsibilities," Fourth Ward Council candidate Rami Pinchevsky said, “they would have supported the ordinance from the beginning.”

Occhipinti sent out a press release after meeting with the mayor, stating that a consensus was reached. Zimmer countered that she was already looking into a park on the west side of town.

"I’m very glad these council members are reversing their decision," Zimmer said.

Before a piece of land can be bought and developed, the city council will have to vote on it again.

"This is just the first step of many more to come," said Corporation Counsel Mark Tabakin, adding that the public will be able to attend meetings about the decision.

This week's asks where you would like to see a new park.