Passaic's North Pulaski Park awarded $3.3 million grant. Here's how it will be used
PASSAIC — A forgotten park in an often overlooked part of the city is finally getting the attention it deserves, said city officials.
North Pulaski Park, once called a hidden gem and tucked into a nook just off the Monroe Street Bridge, is now run down and despite the area's dense population, not in much use.
That will soon change as the National Park Service announced the park had been approved for a $3.3 million legacy grant.
National Park Service Director Chuck Sams visited the park on Thursday and noted the city is the only one in the state, and one of 26 in the country to share in the $61.1 million Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grants.
"This is the model for what we should be doing," Sams said. "We need to invest in these areas."
Passaic met the National Park Service standard for providing much-needed recreational and green space in urban areas. Passaic has a population density of 22,000 per square mile.
More:Passaic avidly pursuing $2.8 million in Green Acres funding to upgrade parklands
"I am told there are 13,000 people within a half mile of this park," he said adding he can't wait to see young families using the park.
State Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said projects like Pulaski meet an agency goal of providing access of open space, recreational and green areas for urban centers.
"The plan is to sow equity and bring hope to people," LaTourette said.
County officials said the federal money represents about half of the money needed to bring the park back up to snuff. County Assistant Engineer Nordan Murphy said preliminary estimates for the remake of North Pulaski run to about $6 million.
Envisioned are a new playground, adult fitness stations and walking to trails. The retaining wall will have to be refurbished and the site may have to remediated.
New pathways will link North Pulaski with Dundee Island Park, which was recently renovated for $12 million, and the new parklands acquired when the city bought the rail line's tracks.
The county also plans to remodel the rail bridge as a pedestrian bridge. Garfield plans to create greenways across the river that would connect the pedestrian bridge with greenways Passaic is assembling on the western banks of the river.
City Council President Gary Schaer said he is gratified to see the state and federal government join forces with city and council officials to refurbish parklands in that section of the city.
"Everything can be polished and made useful," Schaer said. With such partnerships, "it shows what can be."
Despite the approval, the park project is still a ways off. Park Service officials said there's still more paperwork to be filled out by the city on the grant.
LaTourette said given the DEP's recent funding priorities Passaic may be in line for additional funding.
More:Greenways are taking shape along the Passaic River, promising acres of parkland
Additional grants are to be announced and given new priorities to increase equity and quality of life for the state's urban residents.
"I think we should be able to cobble something together," La Tourette said.
Murphy figures that plans for North Pulaski ought to be completed by end of this year and applications for permits sent to state DEP by first of the year.
Matt Fagan is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: fagan@northjersey.com
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