The Parks Coalition is a community of 29 park groups working on empowering and developing a more sustainable Jersey City community. Every day, these Jersey City park groups are able to bring the community together through serving the recreational needs of residents and by providing a mechanism of recuperation from the stresses and strains of urban life. Through initiatives such as City of Trees with it’s Tree Lover’s Crew, these open spaces are also being utilized to bring awareness about the City’s depleted tree canopy and what community members can do to help with this decline by learning how to maintain their local trees and encouraging residents to plant more trees.
Friends of Arlington Park | Arlington Park encompasses 3.52 acres, is located in Ward F on Grand Street and Arlington Avenue. It is primarily a passive park with large lawn panels and mature trees.
Friends of Audubon Park | Audubon Park occupies the entire city block fronting Kennedy Boulevard to the west, Stegman Street to the south, Audubon Avenue to the north, and Bergen Avenue to the east and is named for the adjacent Audubon Avenue. Originally known as Kilpatrick Street, Audubon Avenue started as a small country lane running west from Bergen Avenue. The narrow road provided carts and wagons with access to the numerous small farms and greenhouses that once prospered in the neighborhood. The name Audubon Avenue first appears on maps and other official records around the turn of the twentieth century. Presumably, the street name was chosen in honor of the work of the famous naturalist and painter John James Audubon (1785-1851), although there is no known connection between him and the area.
Bergen Hill Park Association | Bergen Hill
The Bergen Hill Park Association’s goal is to preserve and extend parks and green open areas in Jersey City. Irina is dedicated to bringing the quality of life to their neighborhood and all residents from all walks of life. The BHPA welcome all to enjoy Bergen Hill Park. The BHPA continuously work with the City of Jersey City to extend the Bergen Hill Park and restore the historic features of the park.
Bayside Neighborhood Park Association | Bayside Park encompasses 9.23 acres, is located in Ward A on Garfield Avenue. It is one of the largest parks in Jersey City and contains a pleasant mixture of active and passive recreation. Many of the facilities are lit for night-time use. On June 24, 2017, our Tree Lovers Crew went to the park to prune and water the trees within the park. We were joined by some neighboring residents to help us in the first tree workshop of Summer 2017. The workshop was lead by former Jersey City Arborist Ryan Metz who taught everyone best practices for caring for our local trees.
Bergan Arches Preservation Coalition
Their mission is to preserve the Bergen Arches and to advocate for legal access to a share use path as part of the East Coast Greenway’s route into Jersey City.
Friends of Boyd-McGuiness Park | Boyd-McGuiness Park “Best Little Park In Town” at the corner of Duncan Ave and Kennedy Boulevard – is an oasis for seniors and children. The newly renovated two-acre park is now twice its original size.
Canco Park Conservancy | Canco Park In the spring of 2018, the Canco Park Conservancy was formed in a effort to foster community and well being in the park. The Conservancy has helped the park be in sync with nature by planting native species plants. The park has been recognized by the North American Butterfly Association & Monarchwatch.org for the pollinator garden as well as the Audubon Society & the National Wildlife Federation for its native plantings and wildlife habitat restoration efforts.
Court House Park Advocacy Group | Court House Park
The Courthouse Park Advocacy Group’s mission is to ensure that the entire parcel of land located at 595 Newark Avenue in Jersey City, NJ is turned into a public park for the community once the existing Hudson County Administrative building is demolished.
The Journal Square area, under the 2060 redevelopment plan, is undergoing a radical transformation that will add thousands of new residential units and office spaces in the next few years alone. With Journal Square woefully underserved in terms of public parks the Courthouse Park Advocacy Group sees this as the time to shape the vision of the 2060 plan in a way that best serves the community.
Our group is committed to work with Jersey City and Hudson County officials to come up with funding solutions and ownership issues for the future park. We want to bring together all, neighborhood organizations, local businesses and developers to participate in making our park a reality.
The Embankment | Harsimus Branch and Embankment
Their Vision:
Care for the environment is this century’s greatest challenge – and Jersey City’s greatest opportunity. Thoughtful treatment of the Harsimus Branch can set a precedent for cities around the world, demonstrating that a healthy ecology and infrastructure are compatible, not competitors.
The meadows and forest that took root decades ago on the historic Embankment rail structure, in the midst of downtown Jersey City, is unique to our city. We know of no other city in the world that has a self-seeded forest running through its downtown. This upland forest is thriving, its habitat part of a wildlife corridor from the Hudson River to the Hackensack.
The Embankment Coalition vision for the Harsimus Branch and its Embankment preserves much of this forest and opens it to Jersey City residents for sensitive reuse. While part of the corridor is reserved for possible future light rail, residents can enjoy, on foot and by bike, a naturally occurring wilderness in their own backyards.
Jones Park Association | Enos Jones Park
Enos Jones Park is a six-acre public park that provide residents with many active and recreational zones. The park currently holds (2) baseball fields, (1) basketball court, (1) children’s play area (1) hocky rink (1) skatepark and (2) passive walkways.
Formed in 2015, has been working with the City, the Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association, Jersey City Parks Coalition, The Village Neighborhood Association, and local developers for nearly two years to create the plan. The group has already secured pledge agreements from developers toward renovating the park that total $200,000 so far.
Friends of Ercel Webb Park | Ercel Webb Park
Ercel Webb Park is a 4.43-acre park in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood of Jersey City (Ward F). Bounded by Manning Avenue and Lafayette, Maple and Van Horne Streets and adjacent to the Lafayette Pool, Ercel Webb Park was originally dedicated in 1902 as Lafayette Park by Archibald Alexander Campbell and re-dedicated in 1995 in honor of Dr. Ercel. F. Webb, the visionary pastor of the Monumental Baptist Church for 42 years. The park features a gazebo, children’s play equipment, a splash pad, diverse tree cover, and open spaces for community use.
Friends of Triangle Park & Community Center | Ferris Triangle Park
At the Triangle Park Community Center we aim to be good neighbors so that individuals can be healthier physically and mentally. Friends of Triangle Park promotes an environmentally sound Ferris Triangle Park as a resource for strengthening healthier lifestyles.
Friends of Gateway Park | Gateway Park
Gateway Park community programming is led by local Jersey City Activist and members of the Robateau’s JC Community & Quality of Life group and numerous members of local law enforcement to develop community programs (athletics, crafts and conversations) to foster relationships, build confidence and trust, as well as celebrate as a community.
Gallagher Park Conservancy | William Gallagher Park
The community has formed the Friends of Gallagher park in hopes of getting the park updated. We envision the park as an open green space that specializes in naturescape sensory play to serve our special needs youth and provide them with a safe environment to just be a kid!
Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association | Hamilton Park encompasses five tranquil acres in downtown Jersey City, NJ, bordered by 8th and 9th streets to the south and north, and McWilliams Place and West Hamilton Place to the east and west.
Hamilton Park Conservancy is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose goal is to help preserve and maintain the beautifully restored Hamilton Park in downtown Jersey City. The Park is located within the historic district of Hamilton Park. HPC strives to achieve this goal by working with the City and the Community, making sure the Park remains a beautiful and safe place for everyone to share and enjoy.
Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery is a National Treasure. Prior to the creation of the Cemetery in 1829, it’s historical significance dates back to the 1700’s as the site of Revolutionary War skirmishes, and an active Ammunition Bunker during the War of 1812 that still stands proudly on our grounds. Now the sacred eternal resting place of thousands of soldiers from the Revolutionary & Civil Wars, the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, WWI and II, forward, as well as home to our earliest Jersey City founders, leaders, residents, and legends. With its 200-year-old English Ivy adorning many of the towering trees, and the monumental works of art, this 6-acre sanctuary of peace and unique history is one of the most beautiful natural settings in Jersey City.
The Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance | The Jersey City Reservoir is a beautiful lake surrounded by trees and meadow-topped walls in the center of the Jersey City Heights. Since Jersey City discontinued use of the Reservoir for drinking water twenty years ago, nature has reclaimed the Reservoir area. Walking up the old stone steps today, one gets the opportunity to step out of our hectic world and into an oasis of quiet. Closed in with high stone walls, this “hidden jewel” is a stunning example of wildlife in this very urban area. Great blue heron, swallows, peregrine falcons, and numerous other birds find a haven here, and the residents of Jersey City, from students to seniors, would reap incalculable benefit from keeping this natural oasis alive and protected.The Reservoir stands just south of Pershing Field Park in the Heights section of Jersey City. The 1874 Egyptian Revival walls and Romanesque pump-houses are of major historical significance to our City and region.
Friends of Liberty State Park | Liberty State Park
The Friends is an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 NJ non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, improving and beautifying Liberty State Park as a Central Park-type behind Lady Liberty – with passive and active recreation opportunities foe this priceless waterfront park.
The Friends are co-leading, with the NY/NJ Baykeeper, the cause of passing the LSP Protection Act, to once and for all end privatization threats. To learn more visit and sign the petition click below:
SUPPORT Liberty State Park PROTECTION ACT
Leonard Gordon Park Conservancy | Leonard Gordon Park is a 5.7 acre park that is best known for the larger-than-life Buffalo and Bear sculptors by Solon Hannibal Borglum (1868-1922) and its beautiful palisades rocks. Leonard Gordon “Mosquito” Park is also home to several World War I and World War II memorials.
Located in the Western Slopes section of the Heights, Leonard Gordon Park has a unique landscape with sweeping views and family-friendly events. Events such as the park’s Easter Egg Hunt and Halloween Bash are two of its mainstay events that enjoy high attendance from people across the City.
The park currently has a Master Plan that looks to address environmental concerns, park improvements and future use.
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Jersey City, New Jersey with an area of 273.4 acres. Opened in 1905, it was originally known as West Side Park. The park was designed by Daniel W. Langton and Charles N. Lowrie, both founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
The park consists of two distinct sections: Lincoln Park East, 150.4 acres, and Lincoln Park West, 123 acres. The sections are named for their positions relative to U.S. Route 1/9 Truck, which passes between them and are connected by foot and vehicular bridges over the highway. The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is part of wetlands restoration project adjacent to the Hackensack River. The Hackensack RiverWalk is a partially completed greenway along the banks of the river running the length of the Hudson County shoreline. The East Coast Greenway also traverses the park.
While located in Jersey City, Lincoln Park is technically part of the Hudson County park system. They have a weekly farmers market in season.
West Side Community Alliance (W.S.C.A.)
The West Side Community Alliance was founded in 2010 by merchants and residents of the West Side in order to improve and revitalize our section of Jersey City. WSCA volunteers work to bring art, culture and a sense of community to the West Side of Jersey City.
Friends of Lincoln Park West | Lincoln Park West Friends of Lincoln park-a non-profit officially became a 501c3 in 2016. We will promote environment friendly events focusing on Lincoln Park West and nature walks.
Pershing Field Garden Friends | Pershing Field
As one enters Pershing Field on Summit Avenue, there is a large arch made of reddish colored stone; it is the only remnant of the Fourth Regiment Armory building that once stood at Montgomery Street and Bergen Avenue. After the armory building was destroyed in 1927, the arch was reconstructed at Pershing Field and provides a dramatic entrance to the passive side of the park. Both the Arch and the old Armory trace their history to that of the city’s Fourth National Guard Regiment whose origin goes back to just after the Civil War.
On July 22, 2017, the Tree Lovers Crew volunteered to take care of the trees lining the park. We worked with the Pershing Field Garden Club and pruned and water the trees. They do regularly scheduled gardening and maintaining events throughout the park, which you could find on their website.
Friends of Riverview-Fisk Park | Riverview-Fisk Park is a wonderful park located at the edge of the Heights. Riverview is located on Palisade Avenue. The park contains magnificent views of both the New York City Skyline and the Hudson River as well as the Verrazano Bridge and the George Washington Bridge. These views can be enjoyed while relaxing in the park gazebo. The Park also has a host of recreational activities such as two basketball courts and a playground for children. Due to the amazing views, Fourth of July has become a major day for the park. On this holiday thousands of people gather to watch the displays of fireworks across the New York skyline. This has become a tradition for lots of families and brings many newcomers each year.
Located in the Heights section of Jersey City, Riverview-Fisk Park is known for its great views, lively farmers market, and the Riverview Jazz Festival. For more info about the park and its events, check out the page for the Riverview Neighborhood Association.
Friends of Sgt. Joseph Anthony Park | Sgt. Joseph Anthony Park. Sgt. Joseph Anthony was a young boy who played ball in an empty lot across the street from his home on 87 Palisade Ave. He perfected his pitch as a star player on the Dickinson High School baseball team — enough to get the attention of the Dodgers and the Giants, who offered him contracts at the age of 18. At the time the country was immersed in World War II and he turned down those offers to heed the call of the Army Air Corps. He served as a tail gunner on the crew of a B-29.
He never returned to the site of his childhood pastimes after losing his life in 1944 on a mission at Paulaw in the Admiralty Islands in the South Pacific during the final days of World War II. At the time of his death, he had already been cited for bravery and flown 39 missions. He is one of the countless soldiers from Jersey City who never returned home from war and whose families seek a way to remember and celebrate their lives.
The once empty lot was converted into a park on May 1, 1949, and named Sgt. Anthony Park in his honor. Today the park is alive with visits from neighborhood families and local residents who go to enjoy the basketball court, dog run, community garden, and playground.
Friends of Skyway Park Conservancy | Skyway Park
Skyway Park is located along the shore of the Hackensack River, under the magnificent Pulaski Skyway. It is bordered on the east by Routes 1& 9, at the foot of Sip Avenue.
The 32.5 acres of Skyway Park was a dumping ground for years. On occasion, it would spontaneously erupt into flames due to the drums of toxic waste that were illegally buried below the surface. After an initial effort to remove the most dangerous contaminants succeeded, the site once again became a dumping ground, this time for abandoned car and truck bodies.
In December 2020, Jersey City held a press conference to announce that it would build a COVID Memorial in Skyway Park and move forward on developing the entire park. Throughout 2021, representatives from the city met regularly with the Skyway Park Conservancy to review plans for the park. This partnership led to a design that presents great opportunities for a large park with multiple purposes.
Along the COVID Memorial, the plan– consistent with the public input– calls for a natural and passive areas that would provide the people of the Marion neighborhood, nearby Journal Square and others easy access to enjoy the Hackensack River Waterfront.
The Skyway Park Conservancy is committed to working with JC to complete the vision of Skyway Park that includes open lawns, native plants, trails and more. Skyway Park, when completed, will also be a major part of the Hackensack River Greenway, which (eventually) will run along the river shore from Bayonne to the south through Jersey City up to Secaucus to the north.
Van Vorst Park is the centerpiece of the downtown Jersey City neighborhood and historic district that bears the same name. Called “one of the most formal of Jersey City’s parks,” it was originally landscaped by a local florist and horticulturist Peter Henderson in 1851. The park has been described as an example of a town square similar to Washington Square Park in lower New York City. Occupying the entire rectangular city block between Montgomery Street, York Street, Jersey Avenue, and Barrow Street, Van Vorst Park is lined with ornate brick and brownstone rowhouses from the late 1800s that showcase a variety of popular Victorian architectural styles.
The park was renovated for $2 million in 1999 through the efforts of an association called the Friends of Van Vorst Park (FVVP). The park includes a gazebo, viewing fountain, and playground; plantings and trees provide a small verdant oasis along the walking paths. The association renovated the park according to the intended goals of its benefactor Cornelius Van Vorst: a passive, Victorian park at the center of a rapidly growing neighborhood that would honor the centuries the Van Vorst family owned and developed this area, and perhaps he also wanted to honor the soon to vanish open land itself.
Village Neighborhood Association | Village Park For over seven years the VNA and Village community have worked toward transforming the long-closed, abandoned and neglected pocket park into a reinvented open space that is unlike any Jersey City has ever seen. In the Fall of 2009, a competitive and exciting pro-bono design competition was conducted via a Request for Proposal and called for feedback and suggestions from Village residents.
At the October 2009 VNA meeting, over 60 attendees viewed four amazing visions for Village Park and overwhelmingly selected Future Green Studio for an imaginative modern design that uses recycled and sustainable materials; provides playful passive sections for children; features restive, meditative elements like a central lawn, walking paths; and pays respect and homage to the neighborhood’s Italian-American heritage.
Washington Park Association | Washington Park is a 100-year-old, 22-acre park in Hudson County between Union City and Jersey City. Washington Park Association of Hudson County, Inc. (WPA) vows to work with the community to revitalize, maintain and protect Washington Park in Hudson County, New Jersey, and promote its use through the development of programs and activities that enhance the quality of life of park users and local residents.