Riverbank Park

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Riverbank Park
Soccer Ground.jpg
A soccer field in Riverbank Park
Location map of Essex County, New Jersey.svg
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USA New Jersey location map.svg
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Usa edcp location map.svg
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Nearest city Newark, New Jersey
Coordinates 40°43′55″N74°9′9″W / 40.73194°N 74.15250°W / 40.73194; -74.15250
Area10.8 acres (4.4 ha)
Built1907
ArchitectOlmsted Brothers
Architectural styleUrban Park
NRHP reference No. 98000351 [1]
NJRHP No.60 [2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 16, 1998
Designated NJRHPOctober 29, 1999

Riverbank Park is a park in the Ironbound section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The park was opened in 1910 [3] and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1998. [4] It is the smallest and one of the most heavily used parks in the Essex County Park System. [5]

Contents

History

The park was designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted. [3] The park land was acquired in 1907 and construction finished in 1910. [3] A driving force behind the building of the park was Franklin Murphy (governor) who wanted his workers at the Murphy Varnish Works to have open space. [5]

An expansion took place between 1926 and 1931. [3] The baseball fields are on the former location of the Balbach Smelting & Refining Company, one of the largest metal processing companies in the country, which closed in the 1920s. [5]

In 1996, there was an attempt to build the Newark Bears, Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium at the site of the park, demolishing the park. [6] SPARK (Save the Park At RiverbanK) is a community group formed to save the park from destruction. [6] After an unsuccessful attempt to save the park via referendum, they were able to protect it through inclusion in the National Historic Register. [4]

SPARK's work also resulted in the remediation of contaminated soil, which was completed in 2003. [7]

In August 2011, plans were announced to create Newark Riverfront Park, next door to Riverbank Park along the Passaic River [8] [9] [10] which opened in August 2012. [11] [12] [13] [14] A further extension of parkland along the river was announced in June 2016. [15] [16] Work proceeded in 2017. Eventually it will reach Bridge Street Bridge. [17]

Programming

Currently, SPARK hosts programs in the park including a Learning Program with the New Jersey Historical Society and Greater Newark Conservancy, [4] movie nights [18] and Music and Art Day. [19]

See also

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References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Essex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. January 10, 2010. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). Digital Archive of Newark Architecture (NJIT). Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Troiano, Laura. "Give Me A "Ball Park Figure": Creating Civic Narratives Through Stadium Building in Newark, New Jersey". RUCore. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Riverbank Park, Newark". newarkhistory.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Golon, Bob (2008). No minor accomplishment : the revival of New Jersey professional baseball. Rivergate Books. ISBN   9780813542744. OCLC   895786285.
  7. "The County of Essex, New Jersey | ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PROJECT TO MODERNIZE ESSEX COUNTY RIVERBANK PARK PLAYGROUND Riverbank Facility is First of Five Playgrounds to be Upgraded this Year" . Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  8. "Gov. Chris Christie touts bipartisanship in Newark park project". nj.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  9. "Essex County opens Riverfront Park in Newark, a 30-year dream come true". nj.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  10. construction begins Newark Star Ledger
  11. "With Riverfront Park, Newark reacquaints itself with the Passaic River | NJ.com". nj.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  12. "Play Along the Passaic - Archpaper.com". archpaper.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  13. "Newark Transforms Contaminated Dumping Ground into Gorgeous Riverfront Park | Inhabitat New York City". inhabitat.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  14. "Newark's River: Public Access & Redevelopment Plan" (PDF). Newark Planning Office, Department of Economic & Housing Development. April 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  15. "Expansion of Newark's Riverfront Park to Bridge Street Moves Forward". www.PlaceNJ.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  16. "Was this $16.7M park key to a critical political endorsement for Christie?". NJ.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  17. "Construction Underway to Expand Newark's Riverfront Park - Jersey Digs". JerseyDigs.com. November 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  18. "Riverbank Park Family Movie Night: Kung Fu Panda III". www.newarkpulse.com. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  19. Zak-Cohen, Beth (May 20, 2017). "Making birthday cards for Riverbank Park at music and art Day @IronboundCC @nwkriverfrontpic.twitter.com/XIupUNen6P". @bzakcohen. Retrieved April 19, 2019.