Paterson will continue to invest in its parks — they pay dividends for our kids

Parks provide neighborhoods with a sense of pride and improving them demonstrates that we care about our community. Moreover, parks increase property values and more importantly, they give our youth safe places to play. In fact, we believe that all families in Paterson should have access to a park within a 10-minute walk from their homes. For all of the above reasons, that’s why we are investing so heavily in renovating our athletic fields, parks, pools and playgrounds.

Last month alone, we broke ground on three transformative recreation projects. Barbour Park was once known as a drug den until community activists reclaimed it. My administration rewarded their impressive efforts by earmarking $1 million to make substantial upgrades to the park in our city’s 4th Ward.

We also launched an ambitious initiative to transform the Clinton Street Park in Paterson’s north side. The aforementioned park had an unsavory reputation and was once called “syringe central.” Now, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the park will feature awe-inspiring amenities such as a splash pad, a children’s playground, and an amphitheater.

When I took office, Paterson didn’t have a single playground that accommodated children with autism. Now we have 3 with a 4th inclusive playground on the way. We renovated both the football field and basketball court at Buckley Park and will soon have a state of the art playground.

Children on both the east and west sides can expect new playgrounds this year. Eastside Park, where we have made more than $2 million in improvements, will boast a new playground. At Pennington Park, where we have renovated the baseball field, soccer field and built a fitness zone, will also offer families a new top-notch playground.

Westside Park, one of our two flagship parks, is nestled in a neighborhood full of working class families. For far too long, it has been neglected but we have raised $14 million to give it a much-needed facelift. The plan for the park includes two new athletic fields, a new tennis court, a new basketball court, a boat launch, and a river walk.

Vista Park represents Paterson’s highest point and provides visitors with a panoramic view of Paterson’s and New York’s city skylines. We are currently in the public comment period relative to the revitalization of the park and we are seeking input on what individuals would like to see at the park. We welcome anyone interested in participating in the park-planning process to visit www.patersonnj.gov/vistapark.

In recognition of all of the work we have done to improve our parks, the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute has designated Paterson a “Healthy Town” for the fourth consecutive year. This unprecedented achievement is a testament to my team led by our business administrator, Kathleen Long, and our Department of Public Works director, Billy Rodriguez, who both possess passion for prioritizing Paterson’s parks.

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COVID-19 has taught us that parks are a social determinant of health and we must continue to underscore the importance of the wellness of our residents. To date, we have either earmarked or invested over $100 million in recreational improvements in Paterson. We owe it to our youth and our families to provide them with better parks and fields because of the many benefits it brings to improving the quality of life for Patersonians.

Andre Sayegh is the mayor of Paterson.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson invests in its parks for kids