Community Celebrates Gateway Park Renovations In Jersey City's Ward F

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Community members cut the ribbon Wednesday on a newly revamped park near a public housing complex, and across Route 78 from downtown Jersey City.

As part of the final transformation to the "new and improved" Gateway Park in Ward F, major upgrades to the park were designed in close collaboration with community members, the city said.

Improvements include a new multipurpose turf field, a resurfaced basketball court with new basketball hoop posts, stormwater drainage systems, and a brand new playground with a "wide range of accessibility and challenge levels for kids of all ages."

Jersey City officials spent the last three years collaborating with Friends of Gateway, the Jersey
City Parks Coalition (JCPC), and community members to ensure the park improvements fit
neighborhood residents’ needs, a city spokesperson said.

“In addition to the much-needed equipment improvements, we restructured the plaza to accommodate more public events and build stronger communities by bringing people together,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “Even before COVID brought the need for parks to the forefront, we have always prioritized accessible outdoor community space, and Gateway Park is one of the many park improvement projects we have completed in recent years."

Gateway Park has been a popular asset in the community for decades, and the recent upgrades are meant to encourage even more residents to utilize the modernized playground and fields for sports and other outdoor recreation use.

The $500,000 turf field installation was funded through the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund and includes stormwater drainage infrastructure.

“This is a very exciting and poignant moment for Robateau Legacy/Friends of Gateway, the project to revive Gateway Park as part of an effort to commemorate JCPD Lt. Christopher Robateau, whose watchended on Jan 5, 2017," said Alika Muhammad, the president of Friends of Gateway Park. "We always felt that reviving the park for the benefit of all neighborhood children and the community would assist in improving the community’s mental and physical health while strengthening the bridge between police and the community."

The park is located at 40 Merseles St. in Jersey City.