As many of you know, my development efforts brought Shop-Rite to Hoboken, as well as the small park adjacent to the Shop-Rite parking lot. I was proud that I had contributed to Hoboken's open space and confused and disappointed when Hoboken's open space advocates failed to appreciate it. Over the past year, through my conversations with open space advocates such as 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer and 5th Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham, I have come to understand their position far better.
Shop-Rite park sits virtually unused, due to its limited size, and the failure to build the promised community center across the street from the park. Despite my best intentions, the park has become a symbol of our lack of sufficient open space rather than a real asset to our community.
If elected to represent the 5th district as your freeholder, I pledge to work tirelessly to bring county assistance to Hoboken and Jersey City Heights so that we can get the real usable open space that was promised in Hoboken's Master Plan. We need to especially focus on bringing parks to the western edge of our city, such as the large southwest park, which the Master Plan so clearly envisioned. This park would benefit both Hoboken and Jersey City Heights and will be one of my most important priorities. In that regard, I support the community efforts to save block 11, which could serve as an important gateway to the new park.
I also pledge to work with Jersey City officials as well as the County to help move forward the process of rerouting Paterson Plank Road. This road creates an enormous amount of traffic resulting primarily from cars just passing through Hoboken and Jersey City Heights on their way to the Holland Tunnel or the Jersey Turnpike. Rerouting the road along the light rail tracks would benefit both Hoboken and Jersey City Heights, and I will do everything that I can to make that vision, also promised in Hoboken's Master Plan, a reality.
Respectfully,
Frank Raia
5th District Freeholder Candidate
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