Residents urge Essex County commissioners to pause Weekway park field renovation, citing lack of notice

Winifred Victor Hines, executive director of the Weequate Park Association, told the Essex County Board of County Commissioners during public comment that community members are demanding a pause to construction work at Weekway (variously transcribed in the record as Weekway/Weequay/Weequate) Park. Hines said she and other residents had expected a meeting to discuss a planned fourth baseball/softball field and that, despite repeated requests and a petition, they have not heard back from county officials. “I am sick and tired of coming here and having to tell you guys how to do your job,” Hines said, asking whether the same vendors have been repeatedly selected and whether minority- and people-of-color–owned firms are included in contracting.

County officials responded at the meeting that the project is a renovation to an existing field, not the creation of a new field, and that the county had received letters asking for improvements. Jackson (identified in the record by a board member as “Mister Jackson”) said the administration had letters from the mayor and the superintendent of schools requesting that the field be improved because local teams lack a regulation-quality field. “It’s not a new field,” Jackson said, adding that the board was responding to requests from local leadership.

Commissioner Mary Thomas (vice president) acknowledged residents’ frustration and said the administration would work on clearer advance notification and community engagement. Thomas described Weekway/Weequay Park as one of the most-used parks in the county and said a regular schedule of public updates or meetings could help reduce future disputes: “We have to make sure the community understands what’s happening and preferably knows in advance,” she said.

Other residents who spoke during the comment period gave mixed perspectives. Michelle Boynton said many residents use the park and urged respect and dialogue rather than shouting; Dana Murray, a Newark resident, noted that local schools that use the park — she cited Weekway and Shabazz schools — lack their own baseball fields and therefore depend on county facilities. A board member also stated on the record that letters were received from Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and a South Ward councilman supporting improvements to the field.

What happened next: Commissioners did not take a formal vote to change or halt the project at the meeting. Instead, the administration provided a response on the record calling the work a renovation, restated that letters from municipal and school leaders supported the improvements, and the vice president committed to improved outreach. Residents left a petition with the board and said they would expect follow-up in writing.

Why this matters: The exchange highlights a recurring local-government issue — balancing capital improvements and routine maintenance with timely, accessible public notice and equitable procurement. Residents said the primary harms are lack of transparency and diminished opportunity for local contractors and community input; officials emphasized existing demand from schools and the need to fix a frequently used facility.

Clarifying details: The record contains inconsistent transcriptions of the park name (Weekway/Weequay/Weequate). Winifred Victor Hines self-identified as executive director of the Weequate Park Association and presented a petition; a board member referenced written requests from Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and a South Ward councilman for field improvements. The board did not vote on a project pause during the meeting and indicated follow-up would be provided in writing or via a meeting.