On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the Newark City Parks Foundation hosted the Harriet Tubman Square Park Improvements Community Meeting at The Newark Museum of Art in which Mayor Ras J. Baraka unveiled the plans for upgrades to the Park. 

The event, live-streamed for those unable to attend, featured a virtual tour of The Harriet Tubman Monument led by architect Nina Cooke John, followed by DreamPlay Media’s trailer “Black Moses Rising,” highlighting the project’s vision. Marcy DePina outlined community meeting results, Mayor Ras J. Baraka emphasized the project’s significance, and Jan Saltiel Rafel of Edgewater Design presented the park’s improvement plan. Comfort Station plans were presented by Nina Cooke John of Studio Cooke John Architecture + Design, and a captivating video performance by Kween Moore titled “Auburn Eyes” added artistic flair.

After a year of community engagement and surveys, the improvement plan was designed to protect the integrity of the historic park, as a key feature in the James Street Commons Historic District. The focal points of the plan’s design are to preserve the existing healthy trees, incorporate the community’s desired amenities, and address the need for structural repairs. 

The new plans includes:

• Improved lighting and electricity
• Repair of pathways and entrance plazas
• Inclusion of additional native plantings to help mitigate erosion 
• Benches
• Expanded program area with amphitheater style seating
• Playground with two sections for younger and older children
• Comfort Station with two family bathrooms

Thank you to all who have participated in this process that will improve and preserve our Harriet Tubman Square for generations to come. For those who missed the event, the live stream is available here, and we invite everyone to contribute their feedback through the survey found here.