Riverbank Park

Riverbank Park is a park in the Ironbound section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The park was opened in 1910[3] and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1998.[4] It is the smallest and one of the most heavily used parks in the Essex County Park System.[5]

This article is about a park in Newark. For the park in Manhattan, see Riverbank State Park.

Riverbank Park
A soccer field in Riverbank Park
Riverbank Park is located in Essex County, New Jersey
Riverbank Park
Riverbank Park is located in New Jersey
Riverbank Park
Riverbank Park is located in the United States
Riverbank Park
Nearest cityNewark, New Jersey
Coordinates40°43′55″N 74°9′9″W
Area10.8 acres (4.4 ha)
Built1907
ArchitectOlmsted Brothers
Architectural styleUrban Park
NRHP reference No.98000351[1]
NJRHP No.60[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 16, 1998
Designated NJRHPOctober 29, 1999

History

The park was designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted.[3] The park land was acquired in 1907 and construction finished in 1910.[3] A driving force behind the building of the park was Franklin Murphy (governor) who wanted his workers at the Murphy Varnish Works to have open space.[5]

An expansion took place between 1926 and 1931.[3] The baseball fields are on the former location of the Balbach Smelting & Refining Company, one of the largest metal processing companies in the country, which closed in the 1920s.[5]

In 1996, there was an attempt to build the Newark Bears, Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium at the site of the park, demolishing the park.[6] SPARK (Save the Park At RiverbanK) is a community group formed to save the park from destruction.[6] After an unsuccessful attempt to save the park via referendum, they were able to get the park on the National Historic Register.[4]

SPARK's work also resulted in a remediation of contaminated soil in the park, which was completed in 2003.[7]

In August 2011, plans were announced to create Newark Riverfront Park, next door to Riverbank Park along the Passaic River[8][9][10] which opened in August 2012.[11][12][13][14] A further extension of parkland along the river was announced in June 2016.[15][16] Work proceeded in 2017. Eventually it will reach Bridge Street Bridge.[17]

Programming

Currently, SPARK hosts programs in the park including a Learning Program with the New Jersey Historical Society and Greater Newark Conservancy,[4] movie nights[18] and Music and Art Day.[19]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Essex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. January 10, 2010. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  3. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). Digital Archive of Newark Architecture (NJIT). Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  4. Troiano, Laura. "Give Me A "Ball Park Figure": Creating Civic Narratives Through Stadium Building in Newark, New Jersey". RUCore. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  5. "Riverbank Park, Newark". newarkhistory.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  6. Golon, Bob (2008). No minor accomplishment : the revival of New Jersey professional baseball. Rivergate Books. ISBN 9780813542744. OCLC 895786285.
  7. "The County of Essex, New Jersey | ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PROJECT TO MODERNIZE ESSEX COUNTY RIVERBANK PARK PLAYGROUND Riverbank Facility is First of Five Playgrounds to be Upgraded this Year". Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  8. "Gov. Chris Christie touts bipartisanship in Newark park project". nj.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  9. "Essex County opens Riverfront Park in Newark, a 30-year dream come true". nj.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  10. construction begins Newark Star Ledger
  11. "With Riverfront Park, Newark reacquaints itself with the Passaic River | NJ.com". nj.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  12. "Play Along the Passaic - Archpaper.com". archpaper.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  13. "Newark Transforms Contaminated Dumping Ground into Gorgeous Riverfront Park | Inhabitat New York City". inhabitat.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  14. "Newark's River: Public Access & Redevelopment Plan" (PDF). Newark Planning Office, Department of Economic & Housing Development. April 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  15. "Expansion of Newark's Riverfront Park to Bridge Street Moves Forward". www.PlaceNJ.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  16. "Was this $16.7M park key to a critical political endorsement for Christie?". NJ.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  17. "Construction Underway to Expand Newark's Riverfront Park - Jersey Digs". JerseyDigs.com. November 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  18. "Riverbank Park Family Movie Night: Kung Fu Panda III". www.newarkpulse.com. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  19. Zak-Cohen, Beth (May 20, 2017). "Making birthday cards for Riverbank Park at music and art Day @IronboundCC @nwkriverfrontpic.twitter.com/XIupUNen6P". @bzakcohen. Retrieved April 19, 2019.


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