Hoboken 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos says he’ll be introducing a measure to hire a planner in hopes of building a new recreation center.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“We need to stop talking and start doing. I look forward to a process that will include our seniors, families, students and everyone in between so we can design a recreation center that we can all be proud of,” Ramos said in a statement.
“I also implore Mayor Bhalla and his administration to include the Hoboken’s Public Schools and the Hoboken Public Library in this process so we can maximize our potential to meet our community and academic needs.”
For years there has been talk by local elected officials, typically around elections, about bringing a recreation center to Hoboken. But to date, no action has ever been taken, Ramos added.
He also noted that the current state of the Multi-Service Center “no longer accommodates the needs of Hoboken’s growing community,” therefore it is time to utilize public input to create a state of the art center that will benefit everyone.
“I would like to begin as soon as possible and will sponsor a resolution for an RFP for professional planning services to begin the process of designing a new recreation center on the site of the MSC,” continued Ramos.
“And I appeal to the Bhalla administration to re-engage the community and begin holding community meetings to gather feedback while we are in the RFP process. Let’s finally make this vision a reality.”
In 2018, the city began a feasibility process for the Multi-Service Center, though it never proceeded beyond that.
At that time, residents spoke of a redesigned MSC housing a swimming pool, upgrading the outdoor rink to an ice rink, expanding space for senior activities, and potentially allocating additional space to the Hoboken Public Schools.
The Hoboken City Council convenes tomorrow at 7 p.m. and will stream live on their Facebook page.
While the Multi Center is clearly outdated and in need of repair/replacement, Councilman Ramos’ comments raise questions about the City’s plans for the old Jubilee Center and the adjacent Rec Building. While both buildings were put to good use during the recent Omicron surge, neither appears to be getting consistent use, and may help us as we navigate the BOE project, while addressing the Councilman’s concerns. Better does not always mean more, and those buildings sit in a pretty active neighborhood.