High-school students urge council to preserve Tamaques Park’s natural areas

Four Westfield-area students told the Town Council they want the Tamaques Park redevelopment to preserve forested, unstructured areas rather than convert them to parking, pavement or artificial turf.

"That underutilized natural area is important for people like me to just be myself," said Flynn Martin, a Westfield High School senior, who asked the council to limit cuts to wooded space, minimize new lighting and avoid turf that could harm creek ecosystems through runoff.

Kenzie, another senior who spoke, said trees and natural features make the park "iconic" for youth and warned that some changes are irreversible. Jonah Klajinsky, who visits the park from Fanwood, described personal mental-health benefits from the woods and supported selective refurbishments such as bathrooms while opposing irreversible forest removal. Rish Sharma highlighted technical concerns: a proposed bioswale may require road expansion that could remove mature trees, and added pavement or turf could increase runoff into the Rahway River basin.

Mayor Jeremy Berman and several council members thanked the speakers and said the design team is attempting to preserve and highlight natural areas. Councilman (name used in public exchanges) encouraged students to submit comments on the town website so the design team can incorporate public feedback.

The remarks came during the public-comment period while the council also considered separate bond ordinances and capital projects. The council did not take immediate action on the Tamaques redevelopment during this meeting; the mayor said the survey for the Tamaques design would remain open through June 15 and invited residents to a town-walk session at Dimockis Park on May 28.

The council’s next steps include continued public outreach and review by the design team; no final construction decisions were recorded at the meeting.