Riverbank Park

Riverbank Park, an 11-acre park along the Passaic River in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood, is an important sanctuary for residents amidst the hustle and bustle of the biggest city in New Jersey. 

While the park has always been a beloved resource to its neighbors, not everyone in the city shared the same opinion. In the 1990s, the park faced the threat of demolition, with the plan to tear it down to make room for the Newark Bears minor league baseball stadium. Recognizing that their neighborhood was already underserved in terms of park space, concerned residents rallied to protect the park.

Nancy Zak — a long-time Newark resident and community organizer with the Ironbound Community Corporation — remembers the fight well. “They were going to build a for-profit baseball stadium in (Riverbank Park) … We were very underserved, and we knew that. This is a really densely populated neighborhood. So, we just said ‘It’s wrong. We need that park.’” … [And] we had a five-year fight… It involved every part of our community. I say it’s like David and Goliath. The little people against the big people. And we won.” Supported by Ironbound Community Corporation, residents formed SPARK, an organization that remains active today.  SPARK hosted protests against the demolition of Riverbank Park. They also released multi-lingual fliers, with petitions attached, to announce the meeting to organize to save Riverbank Park. Finally, in 2001, the park was reopened and added to the national register of historic places.

Since its reopening, Riverbank Park has become even more of a staple for the community. SPARK stewards Riverbank Bank by hosting an annual music and art day, bringing together students from across the neighborhood. This year SPARK is celebrating its 21st anniversary organizing the event. Their continued success is rooted in a strong commitment to engaging senior citizens and young people, and in using varied engagement methods to reach all residents, such as posting physical flyers around the neighborhood to spread the word, since so many residents lack reliable internet access.

After years of fighting to protect and preserve parks in Newark, Nancy Zak has gained valuable insight. “You have to be unified as a community,” she said. “Don’t give up. Have back up plans. When something doesn’t work out figure out what to do next.” The fight for green space is one worth fighting. As the residents of Ironbound have shown, when a community stands together, it can overcome the toughest challenges.  

To learn more about the history of SPARK and their successful battle to save Riverbank Park, visit the New Jersey room at the Newark Library Main Branch. There, you’ll find an exhibit about the history of the ICC curated by Nancy and her daughter. The exhibit will be on display until December of 2025.