Newark Playground Will be Renovated (NJ)

Newark, NJ, August 9, 2005 – The Trust for Public Land is proud to partner with the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NJ-NAIOP) for the sixth annual Community Action Project. NJ-NAIOP has selected Newark for this year’s “Build Day” scheduled for Tuesday, October 25. The group is seeking sponsors to help rejuvenate the St. Columba Peace Playground, adjacent to Lady Liberty Academy, located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Newark’s South Ward.

NJ-NAIOP has formed a partnership with the nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Department of Community Affairs “Adopt-A-Neighborhood Program.” Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc. serves as this year’s project manager and is responsible for overseeing the playground design. Charitable donations for the project will be made to the Trust for Public Land.

St. Columba Peace Playground is located in Newark’s East Ward, which has one of the city’s most severe open space shortages. It serves children in the adjacent charter school, the Lady Liberty School, which is run by the New Communities Corporation. The site owned by El Club del Barrio, which uses the playground for recreational activities throughout the year. The playground is also heavily used by nearby residents and nuns from the nearby convent help supervise the playground. El Club del Barrio will be participating in the day’s events.

“Newark’s children suffer from an acute lack of open space. Children in park-poor neighborhoods play in streets, alleyways, and vacant lots rather than in grassy parks, baseball diamonds, or soccer fields,” said Terrence Nolan, director of the Trust for Public Land New Jersey Field Office. “We work to change that, and through Build Day, we will make St. Columba Peace Playground, already a focal point for the community, even better.”

Mayor Sharpe James’ office is working closely with NJ-NAIOP’s Community Action Committee and the City of Newark, to arrange assistance on “Build Day” with site preparation and debris removal, parking measures, traffic control, and security.

Michael McGuinness, Executive Director of NJ-NAIOP commented, “Newark: America’s Destination City, is in great need of recreational spaces. We hope to build on last year’s momentum with the success of our Community Action Project in Paterson and continue our commitment to providing safer and better places in which to live, work and play. We are pleased to take part in refurbishing the playground so treasured by children and restoring Newark’s essential location.”

NJ-NAIOP is seeking support from both within and outside its membership to bring this project to completion. Community Action Committee Co-Chairs Russell Tepper, Matrix Development Group and Michael Seeve, Mountain Development Corp. are helping the Chapter to reach their goal of approximately $100,000. To date close to $30,000 has been pledged toward this goal.

NJ-NAIOP is seeking financial and in-kind contributions for the event. Corporate sponsors will benefit from public recognition and ample space in the form of a dedication plaque displayed on the playground site. For information about sponsorship of “Build Day,” interested companies can contact Michael McGuinness at NJ-NAIOP at (732) 732-729-9900.

St. Columba Peace Playground is located in Newark’s East Ward, which has one of the city’s most severe open space shortages. It serves children in the adjacent charter school, the Lady Liberty School, which is run by the New Communities Corporation. The site owned by El Club del Barrio, which uses the playground for recreational activities throughout the year. The playground is also heavily used by nearby residents and nuns from the nearby convent help supervise the playground. El Club del Barrio will be participating in the day’s events.

The New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NJ-NAIOP) is the trade association for developers, owners, investors, and other professionals active in the industrial, office and commercial real estate industry. Founded in 1970, the New Jersey Chapter is comprised of nearly 500 members who benefit from a variety of business and networking opportunities, education, and professional development programs, research on trends and innovations and strong legislative and public affairs representation. The New Jersey Chapter is part of the larger NAIOP organization founded in 1967, which is comprised of more than 12,000 members in 50 chapters throughout North America.

The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Through Parks for People-Newark, the organization is addressing the overwhelming need for additional safe playgrounds in the underserved communities of New Jersey’s largest city. Since 1995, six community parks have been created by the Trust for Public Land in Newark. The Trust for Public Land’s Parks for People initiative works in cities across America to ensure that everyone-in particular, every child-enjoys access to a park, playground or open space.