Watsessing Park Cleanup on May 5, 2012

There will be a Watsessing Park and 2nd Riverbank Cleanup on May 5th!

Sponsored by: The Bloomfield Open Space Trust Fund Committee, The Watsessing Park Conservancy and The Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Meet at the “W” garden by the Lawn Bowling Clubhouse (The park entrance at the intersection of Glenwood and Maolis Avenues)

• Free refreshments will be provided for the volunteers!
• In honor of Bloomfield’s Bicentennial celebration, a display table will showcase both the old and the more recent history of the park
• Demonstrations by two of Watsessing Park’s more unique organizations will be presented immediately following the clean-up, including: 
• Essex County Lawn Bowling Club
• Essex County Cricket Club 
• The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission River Restoration Division will supply:
• Bags, Gloves, Waders (for those cleaning the streams). For more information, contact the OSTFC at ostfc@bloomfieldtwpnj.com or Doreen Sarcone of the WPC at doreensarcone@yahoo.com

Watsessing Park Cleanup April 30, 2011!

The Bloomfield Open Space Trust Fund Committee (OSTFC), Watsessing Park Conservancy (WPC), and Watsessing Heights Neighborhood Association (WHNA) are planning a park and river cleanup on Saturday, April 30.

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission’s River Restoration division will be on hand to clean up the river, provide garbage bags and gloves for volunteers, and to haul the debris to Newark.

For those not familiar with the park, Watsessing Park is located on 69 acres in the Townships of Bloomfield and East Orange. The meandering Second River, joined here by Toney's Brook, flows through the long open park that was designed in 1899 by the Olmsted Brothers firm and expanded in the early 20th century, also under the auspices of the Olmsted firm.

When: April 30, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Volunteers will meet at the "W" garden at the park entrance at the intersection of Maolis and Glenwood Avenues, by the Lawn Bowling building.

Refreshments (donuts and coffee) will be provided to the volunteers. We hope to see many members of the community on the 30th and look forward to a successful cleanup!

Watch this space for any updates

Your input is needed at a public meeting hosted by Essex County on Monday, July 27, 2009, at the Senior Center building in the park at Conger Street at 7 p.m.

The purpose of the meeting is to present the County's plans for constructing a combination soccer/la cross field with artificial turf, lighting, seating, and partial fencing, in the section of Watsessing Park bordering Bloomfield Avenue between the Parkway and the area around the bandstand.

A second artificial turf field would be constructed in the central area within the boundaries of the running track in the section of the park between Glenwood Avenue and Cleveland Terrace.

Please come to the meeting and express your opinion about these plans. Thank you.

Holiday Park Decorations Dec. 8

Every year the Watsessing Heights Neighborhood Association and the Watsessing Park Conservancy join forces with the County to put up holiday decorations all around the fences of Watsessing Park.

This year's event will be held on Saturday, December 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Coffee and donuts/bagels will be provided for those who come early. Meet at the entrance of the park on Glenwood Avenue, at the foot of Maolis Avenue, by the bowling green.

Volunteers are needed, so we hope you can join us!

Sad News

Former President of the Watsessing Park Conservancy, Jane Myers, passed away on Tuesday, October 16th. She had battled multiple sclerosis for many years.

Jane was passionately dedicated to Watsessing Park and was a driving force in the creation of the Watsessing Park Conservancy. She served as its first president before she had to step down due to health issues. She also worked hand in hand with the county in getting the Watsessing Dog Park built as well as having the historic band stand restored in the park.

Jane was a supporting member of the Watsessing Heights Neighborhood Association from its early inception and made many valuable contributions to our neighborhood and the Township of Bloomfield. She will be sorely missed.

There will be a memorial service for her this Friday, October 19th at O’Boyle’s Funeral Home which is located at 309 Broad Street in Bloomfield, NJ.

You are invited to pay your respects from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. From 3:00 pm-4:00 pm there will be an opportunity to share your remembrances of Jane in an informal setting.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be sent to either the Watsessing Park Conservancy or the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Greater North Jersey. Both organizations are tax deductible 501(c)(3) organizations.

Concert in the Park on Tuesday, August 7

Tueday, August 7 is National Night Out and also the annual Concert in Watsessing Park, provided by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

This year's concert, Serenade Under the Stars, stars Lonnie Youngblood. Please come out and join your neighbors!

The concert will be held at the corner of Watsessing Park that borders Llewellyn Avenue and Cleveland Terrace and will start at 7 p.m.

Annual Summer Social in the Park - July 28

It's summer and it's time for the annual Summer Social in the Park, sponsored by our sister organization, the Watsessing Heights Neighborhood Association.

Bring your blanket or chairs, something to eat and something to drink, and join your neighbors in the park at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 28.

We'll be meeting at the "W" garden at the park entrance on Glenwood Avenue at the foot of Maolis Avenue. Hope to see you there!