The Township of Weehawken is set to consider a resolution opposing North Bergen’s application to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to allow the construction of a preschool in James J. Braddock North Hudson County Park. This resolution, listed under “New Business” for the upcoming council meeting, follows similar actions by Union City and West New York, underscoring growing local opposition to the parkland diversion.
Union City’s resolution, passed in October 2024, and West New York’s recent actions highlight concerns that this proposal violates NJDEP Green Acres Program regulations. These rules are designed to protect public parklands and discourage their use for non-recreational purposes unless the project satisfies a compelling public need or provides significant public benefit.
North Bergen’s diversion application does not meet these criteria. Braddock Park, a treasured green space, is not the appropriate location for a preschool. While preschools undoubtedly provide public benefits, this specific proposal undermines the purpose of preserving parkland for recreational use.
North Bergen has a troubling history with Braddock Park. In 2001, the township illegally placed pre-K trailers in the park, where they remain today in violation of state educational and safety regulations. Two of these trailers were destroyed in a fire at a time when they lacked required fire exits. Meanwhile, North Bergen has made minimal efforts to identify alternative locations for the preschool, rejecting viable sites and failing to provide proper cost analyses or issue RFPs as directed by the DEP.
Despite these issues, the NJDEP recently accepted North Bergen’s incomplete and flawed alternatives analysis, allowing the township to proceed with its diversion application. This decision has understandably drawn criticism, as neighboring towns take a stand against North Bergen’s actions.
Union City Mayor Brian Stack has been vocal in his criticism, emphasizing the importance of protecting parkland for public use. West New York’s opposition similarly cited insufficient justification for the pre-K trailers to occupy Braddock Park. Now, Weehawken is poised to join the effort to protect Braddock Park from non-recreational development.
North Bergen has defended its application, claiming it is necessary to address overcrowding in schools and ensure accessible education. However, the township’s own plans suggest otherwise. The soon-to-open North Bergen junior high school (High Tech) provides a solution. By moving 7th and 8th graders out of elementary schools into High Tech, space can be freed for preschoolers within existing elementary schools. This plan, approved by the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) in 2018 and funded by a $65 million referendum, is still feasible. Moreover, enrollment in North Bergen schools has declined over the past decade, further undercutting claims of overcrowding.
It’s crucial for the NJDEP to uphold its mission of protecting parkland, not facilitating its conversion for non-recreational purposes. The Green Acres Program has been compromised by inadequate oversight, and now, local opposition is bringing much-needed attention to the issue.
Braddock Park’s future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: public parkland should not be used to solve problems that could be addressed elsewhere. The NJDEP must reject this diversion and ensure that Braddock Park remains a space for recreation, not development.
Robert Walden
7855 Boulevard East #15i
North Bergen, NJ 07047
One thing should be made clear: The preschool DOES “meet a compelling need” and it does “provide significant public benefits”, but NJ DEP is not supposed to approve diversions UNLESS they are a LAST RESORT, meaning there aren’t any viable alternatives. THERE ARE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES.