General Meeting October 15th, 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 and cider 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 Update and Q&A with Library Director Terry Hill

7:15 37-43 Wayne Street: New multi-family residential project that that includes the renovation of the existing church and a new building in the existing church parking lot. 

7:35 BOE Candidates (Bios linked here)

8:30 All Other Business]

In September, we welcomed representatives from Turnpike Trap to our general meeting. View their presentation here.

Dear Neighbors,

Disco Lives!

Mother Nature provided the perfect evening on Saturday night for Disco in the Park. Thanks to the volunteers, board members and Friends of Van Vorst Park who worked hard to make it a success.  And thank you for your donations that helped make it possible.

Our final book swap of the year will be on October 26th. 

The park is hosting a swap meet on the perimeter of the park on October 19th and the Halloween Spectacular will be on Sunday October 27th.  (And yes, due to popular demand, I shall once again be dressed as a squirrel.)

See you at the park!

Craig Zehms
VVNA President

Liberty State Park Revitalization Program

Your feedback is needed by October 13th! Click here to view design work and make your voice heard on the future of LSP!

SAY NO to a HIGH RISE HOTEL

201 Newark was pushed on the Zoning Board Agenda to October 24th.  It is critical that we have people show up in person to testify against this project, so we will keep you posted as we get closer to the new date.

Here is an article on the project:

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2024/07/downtown-jersey-city-neighborhood-groups-condo-association-fighting-hotel-project-by-connected-developer.html

Bright St. Traffic Survey - Make your voice heard!

Many of you are aware of traffic problems on Bright Street between Jersey Avenue and Monmouth during school drop off and pick up times on weekdays as school buses and parents in cars crowd into the area near the school. The result is a logjam that makes it virtually impossible to get through the area and has led to conflict between individuals vying for access.

In an effort to improve this situation the VVNA has been meeting with city traffic and law enforcement officials as well as Ward F councilman Frank Gilmore and the Principles of the primary and middle schools.

The VVNA has been asked to collect feedback from the community in terms of how best to improve the situation and in particular your thoughts on making Bright Street one way either permanently or during drop off and pickup times during the week.

Click Here to give us your feedback!

Volunteers needed to work the Book Swap on 10/26

The Van Vorst Neighborhood Association is holding our next book swap on Saturday, October 26 from 10 am to 1pm in Van Vorst Park. We need volunteers and would love to have you help out! If you're available to help, please use this form to sign up for a volunteer shift: 

https://forms.gle/pFoqtc8D1KVM2MVY7.

Here's what we need volunteers for:

- 5pm - 7pm on Friday 10/25 to collect books that people drop off, do some initial sorting, and store them under the gazebo

- 9am - 12pm on Saturday 10/26 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 10/26 to help with running the swap and cleaning up at the end of the event

Upcoming Events

10/19 - 9am-4pm - Van Vorst Park Garage Sale Sign Up Here

10/26 - 10am-1pm - Book Swap @ Van Vorst Park

10/26 - 7-9pm - Decoding Classical: A journey of western classical music through the ages, presented by the Barrow Mansion & Con Vivo Music

Ongoing - Mondays, 11:30am-12:30pm - Little Builders Club (Ages 1-5)

Ongoing - Fridays, 3-4:30pm - Fun Fridays (Ages 6+)

See below fliers for details.

Join the Barrow Mansion and Con Vivo Music for an interactive music seminar, Decoding Classical: A Journey of Western Classical Music through the Ages. This program will follow the progression of western classical string quartet music through its from its early incarnations to the modern era. Starting with Joseph Haydn, we will progress through the Classical Period, delve into the Romantics, explore tonality with Bartok, and finish with Phillip Glass's evocative, American minimalism. As we follow this arc, you will learn more about the intense historical influences which affected all of the arts, and the indelible marks left by monolithic pillars of the genre, such as Beethoven.

This will be an interactive experience! Please bring your questions and thoughts, and be ready to interact with us in between movements. This program is free and open to everyone.

Saturday, October 26
Doors open: 7:00
Program: 7:30-9:00pm

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.

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

Looking for General Meeting Notes or Recordings?

Find them HERE

Thank you to our sponsors: Barrow Mansion Development Corporation, Brightside Tavern, Two Boots Pizza, 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.