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Residents urge pause on Weekway Park baseball field, press county for skating pavilion and community input
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Summary
Multiple Weekway Park residents and community leaders told commissioners they were not consulted about a planned new baseball field and urged a pause while the county explores an interchangeable skating pavilion; commissioners agreed to pursue a meeting with parks staff.
A group of Newark residents and community leaders told the Essex County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday they oppose construction of an additional baseball field at Weekway (Weequahic) Park and want county leaders to pause the project and reopen public engagement to consider a multi-season skating pavilion.
Winifred Victor Hines, executive director of the Weekway Hick Park Association, said she first learned of the plan on Nov. 19 and that the community had not been consulted. “Lack of transparency, no community input,” Hines told the board, and she asked the county to pause construction and reopen discussion with neighborhood residents.
Several speakers echoed Hines. Michelle Boynton, who said she has used Weekway Park for 60 years, asked county leaders to prioritize recreational options beyond organized sports and suggested roller- or ice-skating facilities to serve children, seniors and families. “We don’t need another baseball field when you have so many,” Boynton said. Shonda Gaston of Assimi Village Inc. and skaters Kirby Brown and Rashiya Mason urged a roller/ice pavilion that could be used year-round and said rising entrance costs at other county parks limit access for many families.
Pamela McElven, advocating for Valesburg Park, raised a related concern about senior services — she said the senior café kitchen had not been inspected since 2019 and reported broken equipment. County staff said they would investigate available equipment and follow up.
Commissioners responded by recommending practical next steps rather than an on-the-spot decision: the presiding officer suggested Hines provide contact information and request a meeting with Parks staff so the administration can explore possibilities and report back. Commissioner Mary Thomas described the skate-pavilion idea as a personal priority and said she would pursue collaborative opportunities with the administration. Vice President Cooper asked staff to check whether the county’s parks open-space master plan called for the additional field and to provide an assessment of current demand and the planned field’s location.
Why it matters: Residents told the board the county’s development choices affect everyday recreational access and equity, and they pressed elected officials to involve community stakeholders earlier in planning. The issue highlights tension between county-led investments in parks and local calls for different programming and uses.
What’s next: County staff agreed to accept a meeting request and said they will forward contact information and investigate equipment availability and master-plan details; the board recommended a community meeting as the next step.
Quotes: Winifred Victor Hines: “I respectfully request that you pause the construction of this baseball field that nobody wants and no one asks for in the community.”
Mary Thomas (Commissioner): “This is something that is a personal priority for me — we can work on some joint collaborative opportunities to see what’s possible.”
Provenance: Community speakers raised the issue during public comment (topicintro) and commissioners responded with follow-up directions and requests for administration research (topfinish).
