Getting to Know Newark's West Ward

Like many suburbanites, I only know bits and pieces of Newark.

I've been to Newark's Penn Station; the Newark Museum the DMV Inspection Station. I worked on a community project at the Quitman Street Community School; and, last month, I ran the Essex County Cherry Blossom 10K through Branch Brook Park. But I really don't know much more.

When the chance to to write for the Newark Patch came up, I saw it as my opportunity to get to know Newark beyond the occasional trip; beyond the bad reputation and I took my first chance to get to know West Ward.

 It seems that anywhere you go in Newark, there are signs that the city is on the upswing. You see new construction, reconstruction, or some other sign of revitalization.

The West Ward is made up of Fairmount, Ivy Hill, Vailsburg and the West Side neighborhoods. It is primarily a residential and commercial area, with small, one- or two-story storefronts, unlike downtown's soaring office buildings. Some of the residential streets are beautiful; some have abandoned or decaying homes.

Along the commercial avenues, the active stores seem to be mostly locally-owned businesses, with a few chain franchises scattered throughout. Unfortunately, many businesses have closed, leaving storefronts are unoccupied.

To begin to get to know the West Ward, I called Councilman Ronald C. Rice's office. I spoke with Annette Williams, the councilman's executive secretary, to see if she could give me a sense of what is going on in the West Ward. Ms. Williams was extremely helpful and energetic. Eager to tell me all about active projects and all the people I should talk to, I could barely keep up as she rattled off one program after another that is underway, both city-wide, and in the West Ward. Her enthusiasm for the positive change happening across the city was palpable.

One of the people Williams directed me to was Perris Straughter, senior planner at the Newark Office of the Urban Enterprise Zone, Department of Economic and Housing Development. He, too, was generous with his time and information about projects, initiatives and ongoing, positive changes in the district, faster than I could write them down.

Straughter's office works on affordable housing projects, community planning, traffic calming, community revitalization, streetscape improvements, open space projects and public art initiatives. Throughout, their goal is to do these projects in partnership with existing community partners and community organizations, ensuring that residents are part of the entire process.

There is a lot going on in Newark's West Ward. And there are a lot of people who are excited about, committed to, and hopeful for the West Ward's positive transformation.

I'm looking forward to learning about the city I live nearest to, Newark, and its West Ward.