Mayor: "gradual reopening" of Hoboken parks this Friday

Open on Friday for passive recreation

Many folks will be pleased to hear that the City will begin a "gradual" reopening of parks on Friday- the full list parks is in the Mayor's update below.  

Some may say it's too soon to open our parks, others say it wasn't not soon enough.

It goes without saying that if folks do not follow social distancing guidelines in our parks, Hoboken will see a spike up in coronavirus cases. I have no interest in rolling the dice with my family's health; I'll wait and see how others conduct themselves going forward since we are codependent on each other to slow this pandemic. 

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Below is an update from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla on COVID-19:

#HobokenStrong 

I want to start by thanking Anton David, a local business owner of AVID Handyman and Hoboken Custom Craft, for hand-crafting a 6 and a half foot wooden “H STRONG” sign and installing it in front of Hoboken City Hall. The word “STRONG”, painted yellow across the “H”, signifies hope and solidarity for Hoboken. Anton and his staff made a number of these “H STRONG” signs to sell for $65, and are donating 50% of the proceeds to FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group of Hoboken). Thank you to Anton, his staff, and the local businesses who donated the materials and made this possible. If you’d like your own smaller version, email contact@hobokencustomcraft.com.

Impact of COVID-19 in Hoboken

Yesterday, the Hoboken Health Department reported two new cases of COVID-19 in Hoboken, for a total of 509 known, confirmed cases. There were no fatalities, which remain at 23 in Hoboken.

First phase of gradual parks re-opening to begin on Friday

Based on the recent data demonstrating a downward trend in new, confirmed cases in Hoboken, and the important benefits of outdoor activities on mental health, we are moving forward with the first phase of a gradual parks re-opening in Hoboken beginning this Friday. I ask all residents to practice social distancing of at least six feet and wear a face mask or face cover at all times. If these critical precautions are observed, we can keep our parks open for the long-term and consider opening additional open spaces. If these rules are not respected and the safety of our residents is jeopardized by residents congregating in groups, we will unfortunately need to revisit whether or not parks can remain open.

The following are open for passive recreation, starting Friday:

Church Square Park

Elysian Park Southwest Park

Stevens Park 

Columbus Park (Hudson County park) 

7th and Jackson Park 

Plaza Harborside Park 

Maxwell Park 

Pier A Park 

Shipyard Park 

Shoprite Green Plaza 

Sinatra Park amphitheater 

14th Street Viaduct between Grand and Adams Streets (Hudson County Park)

Congregating in groups, organized sports and pick-up games are prohibited, and we strongly urge residents to try to utilize the parks during the early morning, late afternoon or early evening hours to avoid peak periods of anticipated high volume. Residents may gather with immediate household members in open lawn areas but remain at least six feet of social distancing from others, and wear face masks at all times.

All playgrounds, athletic fields and courts, restrooms, gymnasiums, dog parks, spray areas, gazebos, and community gardens in the select parks will remain closed until further notice, reflecting guidelines provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

I also thank the other North Hudson Mayors for understanding the need for Hoboken to gradually open up parks this week.

Candlelight vigil and moment of silence

This Wednesday, Hoboken Girl is organizing a virtual moment of silence and candlelight vigil to remembers those that have sadly passed away due to COVID-19. Residents who would like to participate can light a candle at the window or balcony and take part in a moment of silence on May 6 at 8:30 pm.

Hoboken businesses…what is open?

We are glad to announce the launch of “Hoboken’s Business Status Map”, a new resource designed to keep residents informed of the current operational status of Hoboken's local businesses. Residents can find information about businesses in a centralized location including hours of operation, delivery options, contact information, and more. Currently, we have more than 120 businesses that are included.

Please share this map with your friends, neighbors and favorite businesses, and more importantly, shop Hoboken for your daily needs and to support our businesses! If you’re a business who would like to be added to the website, please fill out the questionnaire by clicking here. Thank you to everyone who has submitted business information, and to Jessica Giorgianni and Casey Wolf from the Office of Community Development for creating the website.

In the coming weeks, the Hoboken Business Alliance will be releasing a Citywide inventory and map that encompasses all of Hoboken's businesses, making it easier for consumers to locate and connect with local business, once normal business operations can be restored.

As a reminder, what is determined as an essential business, and those business which will be permitted to open up in the coming months through a phased approach, is made by the State of New Jersey.

Thank you Hoboken,

Ravi S. Bhalla

Mayor