Perth Amboy is in its very first steps of creating a proposal to fix up Rudyk Park.
PERTH AMBOY -- Richard Alomar has a vision for Rudyk Park: Flee markets, barbecues, exercise stations.
The 54-year-old Rutgers assistant professor in landscape architecture has been working on-and-off for three months with two others in the hopes of not only making the municipality's northeast side park bigger, but also making it more accessible.
"This would be a great way to expand the park," Alomar said, pointing to diagrams of the proposed expansion of the area, which currently consists of a playground, a baseball and soccer field and basketball courts.
For the second time Tuesday afternoon, city officials invited people to the Harbortown Club House to get their feedback on the proposed changes.
An hour into the meeting, about 10 of the city's roughly 50,000 residents showed up to contribute their ideas. About 20 came out for the first meeting April 29, Alomar estimated.
The city hopes to obtain two pieces of land just northeast of the park next to High Street. Residents could use the roughly 2.3 acres of open green space to walk, play frisbee and have barbecues and picnics, Alomar said.
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Alomar is working on the project with Zenon Tech-Czarny, project manager at Rutgers Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability, and a junior undergraduate in the college's landscape architecture program who was not at the meeting.
Under their proposal, a more welcoming sign would be added so people know there is a park in the location near New Jersey Route 440's connection to Staten Island. Three to four exercise stations would be set up and there would be additional parking for about 75 vehicles.
The plans are fairly preliminary, said William Kurzenberger, program coordinator for the city's office of economic and community development. Denise Nickel, senior project manager for Middlesex County Improvement Authority, said it's too early to say how much the renovations would cost.
In a statement emailed after the meeting, Mayor Wilda Diaz said she wants to ensure the city invests in its resident's health "by improving and expanding our recreational opportunities seasonally."
"Green space is highly valued in urban areas and essential to the quality of life for our families," she said.
Tim Ibe, recreation leader at the city's recreation department, said he hopes the space is also used for concerts, considering the city has "very limited live entertainment."
"If this is what they went with, I would definitely go to the park more," Ibe said, looking at the designs at the meeting.
You can learn more about the project here.
Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook and Twitter.