General Meeting May 20th, 7pm

We will be kicking our meeting off early with an in-person mixer from 6:30-7 to meet your neighbors before the hybrid meeting starts at 7pm. Light snacks will be provided.

In person: Barrow Mansion. 83 Wayne Street.

Zoom: with the Meeting ID: 851 7077 0500 https://zoom.us/j/85170770500

Agenda

6:30 In-person Mixer

7:00 Opening Remarks from VVNA President Craig Zehms

7:05 Park Update from FVVP & Marc Wesson

7:10 Small Business Spotlight: Taste of Poland

7:20 Small Business Spotlight: Gymboree with Pooja Gupta

7:30 Sunjay Venkatraman - Director of JC Fridays, Art House Productions

7:40 JC Ward Tour with Karin Vanoppen, Bike JC Volunteer & Van Vorst Neighborhood resident

7:50 All Other Business

Dear Neighbors,

Do you remember that nursery rhyme “Rain, rain, go away, come again another day”? I do! So, I’m opening an umbrella stand at the Farmer’s Market. I’m thinking of calling it “DOWNPOUR” or “DELUGE”. I’m also thinking of starting a podcast called “The Wet and Wetter Weather Report”.

I was delighted at the turnout for the Candidate Forum at the library. It’s great to be part of a community interested and invested in the issues that affect us. We look forward to co-sponsoring more forums with the library as the year goes on. And we will continue to reach out to our leaders and politicians to speak at our monthly meetings.

This is the time of the year when we honor Mothers and Fathers. (And don’t forget the Uncles!) To me it’s all about respect. Not just for parents but for neighbors and friends and those people we interact with every day.

On a related matter several neighbors have reached out to me to express their concern about seeing dogs on the “Pet-Free” lawns in the park. This designation was enacted by city ordinance. Why? A lawn where a dog urinates is unsanitary for people to sit on. And the urine not only kills the grass, but its roots as well, resulting in brown spots. Our neighbors volunteer to maintain the park and work countless hours to not only make it beautiful, but clean & sanitary as well. Thank you for respecting that.

I look forward to seeing you at the Book Swap on June 7th.

Remember – Kindness Counts!

Craig Zehms
VVNA President

New VVNA Merch has Launched!

VVNA Merchandise is now available on our website. We have T-shirts, sweatshirts, journals, water bottles, beanies, onesies, kids T-shirts, tote bags and more! All in a wide range of sizes and colors! Can’t find something in your size? Email us and we’ll get it printed! Order yours today!

Jersey City’s Calendar

Looking to join a Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Zoning or Historic Preservation Commission meeting? Find them all here on Jersey City’s Planning Calendar:

https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/calendar

You can also use this link to find agendas for these meetings, and other important city meetings!

Hudson County Complete Streets will be hosting a rally for the Better PATH Campaign on Tuesday, May 20, at 5:00pm outside of the PATH Station at Exchange Place in Jersey City, NJ to announce 5,000+ signatures on the campaign for more frequent off-peak service and a PATH extension to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

Upcoming Events

Our online calendar is being updated frequently with community bike rides, socials, street fairs, and more!

Worth Reading or Watching

Widening Highways Doesn’t Fix Traffic. Here’s What Can.

Get Involved

Join our Slack Workspace!

Sign, forward and share our active campaigns for a Better PATH Service, stop the Turnpike Trap, #FixJFKBlvd, 14th St. Viaduct, and Boulevard East.

Visit our local advocacy groups and reach out to them. We are still looking for local champions in West New York, Guttenberg, and Secaucus.

Make a donation to support our movement!

Book Swap 6/7, 10a-1p

We’re seeking volunteers to help us with our book swap next weekend at Van Vorst Park. Here's what we need volunteers for:

- 5pm - 7pm on Friday 6/6 to collect books that people drop off, do some initial sorting, and store them under the gazebo

- 9am - 12pm on Saturday 6/7 to help with set-up and running the swap (sorting books as they come in, greeting people, giving occasional book recommendations)

- 11am - 2pm on Saturday to help with running the swap and cleaning up at the end of the event

We've gotten great turnout at the last few swaps and it's always a fun time. We hope you can join us! Please use this form to sign up for a shift: https://forms.gle/Cu5B6oqMBkDA5eoN7 

Social Media

Do you love taking photos and videos around our beautiful neighborhood? We're looking for a new volunteer who can help the VVNA reach more people through social media. 

No professional experience required, a content calendar will be provided to guide you! In just an hour or two each week, you can connect people across the Van Vorst Neighborhood through the power of compelling images. 

Interested? Please email us at welcome@vvnajc.org

Neighborhood History

Do you have historical photos/flyers from the Van Vorst Park Neighborhood? Send them in to us for a chance to be featured at welcome@vvnajc.org

5/7-5/20 - NJ Gubernatorial Primary Debates - See flyer for details.

5/22, 4:30-6pm - Beyond the Bars: Water, Rights, & Environmental Justice in New Jersey Prisons

6/1, 11am - JC Ward Tour

6/6, 6-8pm - JC Fridays Art Tour with VVNA.

6/7, 10am-1pm - VVNA Spring Book Swap

Ongoing - Mondays-Thursdays, Senior Events at the Maureen Collier Senior Center. See flyer for details.

Ongoing - Tuesdays, 5-6pm - Bingo at the Library

Ongoing - Wednesdays, 11am - Story Time at the Library

Ongoing - Select Wednesdays, 6-7:30pm - SEWcial Meetup at the Library

Ongoing - Fridays, 3-4:30pm - Fun Fridays at the Library

Hudson Grinding Knife Sharpening will be at the Farmer’s Market on the following dates: 6/7, 7/5, 8/2, 9/13, 10/11, & 11/1.

See below fliers for details.

To subscribe to the Jersey City Free Public Library Newsletter, please follow this link.

For a full list of upcoming events at the Priscilla Gardner Main Library, click here (there are so many more!)

Register to Vote!

Voter Registration Deadline for the Primary Election is May 20, 2025. Register here!

Looking for General Meeting Notes or Recordings?

Find them HERE

Looking for Previous Newsletters?

Find them HERE

Thank you to our sponsors: Barrow Mansion Development Corporation and the Friends of Van Vorst Park!

The VVNA depends on fundraising and sponsorships from local businesses and community members. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Find out more information here & email welcome@vvnajc.org.