By 
ka
ON THURSDAY, APRIL 14, AT 1 P.M., AT MT. PROSPECT AVENUE AND MT. PROSPECT PLACE
Renovated park will honor Newark thread magnate William Clark;
Renovation was funded through Newark Open Space and Recreation Trust Fund and Hess Settlement
Newark, NJ –- April 13, 2016 — Mayor Ras J. Baraka, North Ward Council Member Anibal Ramos, Jr., Director of Neighborhood and Recreational Services Patrick Council, and North Ward Center Executive Director Michelle Adubato will cut the ribbon to re-open the newly-renovated Mt. Prospect Park on Thursday, April 14, at 1 p.m. The park is located at the intersection of Mt. Prospect Avenue and Mt. Prospect Place in the City’s North Ward.
The renovated park will provide residents with a restful area with vegetation, seats, and artwork that honors William Clark, the thread titan who lived in the nearby 28-room Clark Mansion at 346 Mt. Prospect Avenue, now the North Ward Center. The Clark family made its fortune from the Clark Thread Company, which employed more than 8,000 people at its height at the turn of the 19th century in Newark and East Newark factories. Mr. Clark died in 1902 and is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. The park’s artwork will recognize the thread factory, its workers, and their contributions to Newark’s growth.
Funding for the park came from the Community Development Block Grant Open Space and Recreation Trust Fund, which was approved by Newark voters last year. The fund places a levy of one cent per $100 of assessed property to provide funding to acquire, develop, and maintain land for conservation and recreation, including providing safe, clean and accessible parks, neighborhood playgrounds, community gardens and playing fields for youth sports. The cost to an owner of a property assessed at $200,000 is $20 annually, less than $1.70 per month.
The design was paid for by funding from the $100,000 settlement with Hess in 2015.
Comments