There was at least one meeting for people to put in their input on the park. Now that it's done it must be time to complain. I really don't know what else to say other than get over it.
11:56am Wednesday.

Haven't you "Moms" ruined the park enough? You managed to turn a classic town square park into a garish suburban playground complete with artificial grass.
If you need that much space move to the suburbs where they can accomodate your
needs. Stop trying to turn Hoboken into Sluburbia!
Parks are not only about kids. Other people like a place to sit and enjoy an urban oasis, maybe read a book, or just relax, and that's getting impossible to do in a town that only caters to people with kids.

THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

Zabrina worked very hard for this and I think she represents the larger opinion.
Here's the quote: Zabrina Stoffel, a local parent who has been working to renovate the park since 2009 as part of an initiative called Project Play, said the new playground exceeded her wildest expectations, calling it "safe" and "challenging" for a variety of ages.

"It's beyond my dream," Stoffel said.

I followed the renovation closely and it all looked great until we went to the renovated playground for the first time with a 3 year old and realized how high the main play structure is. He thinks he's old enough to climb it but it's too high for parents to reach their kids from the ground, which means you have to be on the play structure with them. This is not something that could be easily seen from the plans on paper. If there's a way to add a structure for little kids it will be a lot safer and much more fun for everyone.

and here I thought I had problems

I agree w/Janice too, although I noticed the section for the 2-5 yr. olds evaporated. I just took it that the parents that have driven the "turn CSP into our family playground" for years now have children that are older & they don't need that section anymore. I decided a while ago not to comment on these sections as those areas were already 'designated' as playground, but I think the center equipment is oversized for a park this size. The saddest thing is that, during the brief period between when the old equipment was removed & the new equipment installed, it was painfully obvious how detrimental all the crap that's been crammed into the park is & how beautiful the space is when it's open & the kids had fun running around the open space! Unfortunately, there will be more stuff crammed into the east side in the near future: chairs, ping-pong tables, bike racks & just about anything else that can be crammed in. Any piece of open space w/be covered with stuff & they haven't even gotten to the west side where rubber rubber everywhere will cover the entire dolphin area, picnic tables, more chairs & a synthetic reading area w/be crammed. The greenery w/b removed from the bathroom & a suggestion's been made that the outside be tiled - argh!! I hope that public meetings for the west side include real full information in advance so maybe the public can stop the worst of it, but Church Sq. Park already should be christened: Church Sq. Playground - it's ruined.

From what I noticed in Hoboken, you will never make everyone happy. It is impossible. The amount of negativity and monday quarterbacks is amazing. There was plenty of time to "Get involved and have input". The park is 100% safer for kids now then it was before and there is a wide array of options. Could there be more options, sure. Do you want your opinion and voice heard? Then get involved. Complaining after the fact is ridiculous. And as far as the Anti-Kids mantra, your even more ridiculous. There are plenty of parents in town who should have options and parks to go to with their kids and do not need to move to the suburbs to find a park that their kids can enjoy. If you want to go read a book in a park, there are plenty of parks you can go to or the waterfront. The same "anti-kids" blogger are the same people who just like to complain about everything, get over yourself. Hoboken was built up with families and kids for generations. If you hate kids so much then why don't you move to a Florida retirement village!

Many parents provided their input by submitting the online survey and attending meetings. The plans showed designated areas for older kids and preschoolers but the actuality is there is nothing for preschoolers except buckets to spin on. Preschoolers lost 3 play structures and got none in the renovation.

For those of you without children, I can see why you don't care. You don't need or want a playground. However, this was a playground renovation and there are tons of children and many schools in Hoboken that use it. Please don't tell me to move to the suburbs--that's a cop out. Every city has limited space and yet space is designated for playgrounds. They are necessary and if you had children, you would appreciate playgrounds, too.

Those that like the new playground are parents of older kids. It's wonderful for big kids and I'm glad they have challenging equipment. The planning committee did a great job catering to their needs. There is room however, to give all ages a section to play in and all it would take is adding a slide to the 4th St side that was designated a preschool section in the plans.

You may see it as complaining, but many parents see it as trying to rectify a situation while we may still be able to do so.

All the family haters need to get a life... or better yet a family.  We tolerate the smelly dog run and the late night bar antics and noise…. so try to find it in your heart to respect others.  We live in a big city and there is room for all of us.

Anyways, as a working mom and someone who supported Project Play I expected the same "age" standard equipment.  It is very difficult working full time with two children under the age of 4.  In hindsight, yes I should have attended the meetings however isn't it a fair assumption that if it was toddler/preschooler friendly before... wouldn't it be after?  I had such a hard time lifting my 3 year old daughter up the rock wall this past Saturday.  She ended up playing in the gated park which we nicknamed "Dizzy World" considering she wanted to fall on the ground after playing for 2 minutes.  I felt so bad for her as I watched her struggle to keep up with the older kids. 

In the past she never wanted to leave CSP but on this particular visit, she had no objections to going home and taking a nap mind you… that was a first!!

Please reconsider using the area on 5th street to add a little slide or something.  There are lots of options on the Kompan website.  I'd even be open to help raise money for the new equipment.

Journey: Perhaps at a point in time the area was blocked off - BUT the area that used to house the younger kids stuff was ABSOLUTELY open & children were ABSOLUTELY playing there. I saw it with my own eyes. As to insulting people - not sure if you were referring to me, but, stating that people that pushed for the toddler area several years back are (likely) the people pushing for the older kids' play stuff isn't an insult. I wouldn't be insulted if anyone referred to me as someone constantly pushing for open/green space and pushing against more & more "things" being crammed into the park. I also think everyone knows the value of open/green space, I've never heard someone that doesn't, but, I have have heard some suggest that the open green space is on the waterfront & those of us that want/like open/green space should go there for it. Now, that's an insult! I agree with Tony - the park can't be all things to all people, but at this point, I believe that enough open space has been pushed out of the park and huge swaths of rubber around the dolphins, a synthetic reading area and 5 or 10 or whatever number of picnic tables is planned is an unfair encroachment on the PARK space...what little actually remains. To even add a slide (on 5th st.???) is too much unless the monkey bars are removed and it is placed there. Just my opinion but, at this point, to me - you add any more "stuff" you have to remove an equal amount of "stuff" and replace the open space.

wow, just to underscore my point, I just noticed that David L. used the 'go to the waterfront' refrain in his post. Personally, that's the insult. I'm not a fan of the new equipment, but - that area, for years, has been an area with playground equipment - on the other hand, the space that has for decades been open, passive & green never gets left alone - and that is the issue that I have. Sure, the park can't be all things to all people, but at the meeting where the plan was unveiled there was a room overwhelmingly full of people saying - leave the park alone. Now, that we have the new playground equipment, can we please - leave the park alone???

Totally useless forum. I don't understand why people with no kids and who have not been impacted.....are even discussing this!! Don't you have anything better to do with your time??? Is Hoboken411 not satisfying your need for negativity these days? Kind of creepy.....

Parents- watch your children in the park there are many bitter & angry people lurking.

People with "No Kids" have a stake in this community. ESPECIALLY if we are Paying towards the PUBLIC park we all own.
Your last sentence is simply perverted.

LIEBLER, you are now attacking when nobody else is. Why? Yes, I'm 49 and I owned and paid PROPERTY Taxes in this town a long time, I won't be rolling up my carpet anytime soon. I have fought for open space as an activist long before you knew there was a Hoboken. Please calm down.
I supported project play and all the park supporters, why must you get nasty all the time? You aren't helping your clients.

Typical OLD GUARD and Anti spin, anyone who offers suggestions and may or may not be married, is "Creepy" or needs to "Get a life" That's funny, because if we don't have lives, how bad is yours that you must care about what I say on this forum.
We need to support the Mayor is acquiring more open space. NEW Land is THE answer. Ask the experts, the planning experts, not the guys looking for PR contracts.

Make the viaduct a giant Slip and Slide!

What's going on wih disappearing comments?

The only reason why I care about your comments are because you are polluting the discussion. I understand you pay taxes however.... This new playground didn't take any open space away from you. We as parents are just disappointed in the simple fact that CSP which used to provide something for EVERYONE...... excluded our preschoolers.

I apologize for my tone.... I'm frustrated. This park was a great part of our lives. I will miss mornings here followed by a trip to the library :(

really like the new park... could there be more for our 18 month old when he is 2-3-4? sure. is it challenging for our 4 year old? oh yeah, but he seems to enjoy it. i think i went to at least 2 of the three or four meetings about the re-design, including the first one with former Director Maier (I've done hundreds of meetings but THAT was an interesting one :) they seemed well advertised. the number of people at the meetings was clearly a fraction of the almost 200 who took the survey. But from the analysis I saw of the survey it seems like the present park responded to those desires and concerns. Fortunately for all of us there are still companies that make Balls, Wheeled Things and other toys so the physical development of our kids doesn't have to depend ONLY on these playgrounds!

I agree with HM2. That park was so great being able to be used by several age groups. Hope it can get fixed.

I've been hearing a lot that parents should have gotten involved at the planning stage instead of complaining after the fact. The plans clearly show that there was to be equipment for all ages. See Goal #4: http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/env/csp/Church-Square-Park-Playground-Equipment.pdf

These plans led parents to believe that preschoolers would have equipment, like the slide pictured, hence, the complaints. And to clarify again, there is a baby area for babies to 2, the new equipment for 5-12, and a few buckets for ages 3-5. Frankly, I wouldn't let my 5 yr old near that huge slide for fear of falling and getting knocked over by the much bigger kids. Children need separate play areas.