Independence Park - Newark, NJ

Sometimes a park is notable for the important role it plays in the neighborhood in which it is located. The social role of the park is placed higher than any size or grand design elements in these circumstances. Independence Park in Newark, NJ is a prime example of a small average park that plays an incredibly important role in the fabric of its neighborhood. The park is a local institution in the Ironbound section of Newark and is heavily used by residents. It is located in the heart of the neighborhood and provides an incredibly valuable opens space and recreation outlet in a very high-density setting.

The Ironbound is an incredibly busy and dense area of the city located directly to east of downtown and Newark Penn Station. It has historically been and continues to be a working-class and immigrant neighborhood. It has a large Portuguese and Brazilian population as well as a growing Latino demographic, along with other groups. The area is also known as a regional dining destination, which adds additional traffic to the already dense and busy neighborhood. The Ironbound is not that large in geographic size and, as a result, housing is densely packed. The vast majority of the neighborhood is composed of multi-family, attached homes. Space is at an extreme premium so lawns and yards are almost non-existent, as is typical of many inner-city neighborhoods. Furthermore, the area was fully constructed in the late 1800s as working-class settlement without much regard for setting aside open space. To this day, the Ironbound experiences a severe under-representation of park space per resident and geographic size. As a result, the creation and preservation of Independence Park is an incredible asset for the neighborhood.

The park, which spans about 13 acres, was implemented in 1895 and designed by the Olmsted firm, who are famous for the creation of Central Park among other landmarks. It is composed largely of athletic fields and playgrounds, which are heavily used in an area that suffers from a lack of adequate facilities. The soccer fields are incredibly well-maintained and popular and are a main attraction to the park. The Ironbound is home to a large European and Latin American community, both of which are fervent followers of soccer culture. On any given day, large amounts of people are playing or watching soccer throughout the park. There also baseball fields and basketball courts which receive heavy use. Also, East Side High School, which is a public school located on the border of the park, utilizes park facilities for football practice, among other athletic endeavors. Therefore, the park is valuable to the athletic department of the school which lacks adequate space to provide necessary facilities for its student-athletes. There is also a path that meanders through the park under the shade of large trees and a bandstand and gazebo, but the athletic fields are the main attraction.

Independence Park is a main gathering spot for recreation and socializing in crowded neighborhood that lacks an adequate amount of open space. The park provides a valuable green space and an escape from crowded living conditions for local residents. It also plays an incredibly important public health role in the area. It provides an outlet for exercise and a setting for organized youth sports and activities, which is very beneficial in an area of the city with high amounts of children from families of modest income. Independence Park is a success story by proving that parks just need to sometimes exist to be a valuable part of a community. Open space and athletic fields are often all that is needed for high amounts of participation, especially in areas lacking in those particular categories. Expensive design elements, while often nice, are not always a requirement for a successful park and Independence Park proves that.