Filed under: Building Things
The Seidler Chemical building overlooking Essex County Riverfront Park is transforming into a gigantic panting.
A partnership between the wall’s owner, Seidler Chemical, and the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) nominated the wall to the Newark Public Art Program‘s annual Call for Walls, explaining that the story of community organizing behind the new park deserved to be told through public art in the park itself. As one of six selected sites for 2012, the Newark Public Art Program convened and led a team of artists headed by Kevin Sampson to work with ICC and Ironbound residents to develop the design and produce the mural.
The painting shows a fantasy steampunk version of the area’s relationship to the river, visualizing how the river, the city, and residents have mechanically grown into one another in both amazing productive and frighteningly poisonous ways. Most of all it shows how people have come together to improve this system, including creating the park that the mural overlooks. The painting team has been hard at work up and down scaffolding on dry days and expects to finish in 2013.
Filed under: Youth education
For the next two years, Ironbound Community Corporation and Newark Riverfront Revival have been awarded funding through the EPA’s Urban Waters program to develop and deliver educational programs for Newark young people about the Passaic River and the politics of the environment.
We are working to recruit a group of young people to work regularly on the project and create materials to help educate the rest of their city.
For our first project, we worked with a group of students from East Side High School. We met early at Cortlandt Street Family Success Center. Nice mural!
The aftermath of Sandy was apparent. The Center was being used as a distribution point for emergency supplies. The goal of the workshop was to gather evidence about how the storm affected Newark.
We visited “the Island,” a part of the Ironbound close to Route 1&9.
We took notes and made photographs.
Here, the impact of the storm was clear and frightening. Many houses had been declared unsafe by the Buildings Department. Some had foundations that had completely collapsed.
We drove near the Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority, which has been in the news due to problems caused by the storm. A guard advised us to move along.
Closer to the seaport, we began to notice strange things about fences.
We could not prove it, but it was easy to imagine these objects being put here by a large gush of water.
Besides the guard, we didn’t see many people. We did see signs of what kinds of businesses exist in this part of the city.
A few times, we saw standing pools of water, but it was difficult to tell if it was a usual situation or caused by the storm.
Stay tuned for further river-related explorations.
Filed under: Public Programs
On Saturday, September 15, join Newarkers and guests in conversation to celebrate the city’s commitment to reviving its riverfront. Speakers and audience members will reflect on lessons learned and brainstorm for the future. How can the riverfront continue to provide concrete benefits to Newark and its residents, manifest the city’s fierce pride, and build on its deep and rich culture?
Newark Riverfront Summit
Saturday, Sept 15, 5-7 pm
Newark Museum
49 Washington St
Newark, NJ 07102
Seating is limited. RSVP to newarkriverfront [at] gmail.com or (201) 563-2834.
Free & open to the public
Event sponsored by Loeb Fellowship Alumni Council and New Jersey Council on the Humanities. Organized by Newark Riverfront Revival, Friends of Riverfront Park, City of Newark, Essex County Parks System, and Ironbound Community Corporation.
Filed under: Public Programs
On Friday, September 14, join us for a free Riverfront Jazz R&B concert featuring Newark’s own Melectrix band and environmental justice storytelling from some of the city’s most experienced community activists.
Riverfront Jazz R&B and Environmental Justice Storytelling
Friday, Sept 14, 6:30 pm
Essex County Riverfront Park
Raymond Blvd at Brill St
Newark, NJ 07105
M1 bus to Ferry & Chrystie Streets, walk north 2 blocks.
Free & open to the public
Bring lawnchairs & blankets!
Event sponsored by Loeb Fellowship Alumni Council and New Jersey Council on the Humanities. Organized by Friends of Riverfront Park, Newark Riverfront Revival, City of Newark, Essex County Parks System, and Ironbound Community Corporation.
Filed under: Building Things
Filed under: Public Programs
Dozens of Newarkers came to Essex County Riverfront Park last week for our first free riverfront Zumba and yoga classes! Join us all July on Monday and Tuesday evenings at 6 pm. Learn more here.
Filed under: Public Programs
Environmental remediation underway.
Essex County Riverfront Park seen from the water
Second segment of riverfront park under construction.
