The Gulls of Hoboken

I can't tell you how long it took me to get all these gulls to line up to get the shot I wanted. I'm sure you'll agree, however, that the effort was worth it.

Moonscape on Pier A

Something that pains me each time I walk by Pier A Park is how so much of it goes unused - and it's not because there's an excess of park space in Hoboken. Just the opposite. This growing city is in dire need of more park space. The reason so much of Pier A Park goes unused is that a third of it is a forbidding moonscape. Here are three pictures I took on the same day at the same time on a lovely sunny Spring afternoon. No one is present on the moonscape, not even walking across it. But on the grass people are relaxing and enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful view.





My understanding is that some part of the moonscape is intended to be a 9/11 memorial to the over 50 Hoboken residents lost in the attacks. But the question is: why make a memorial such a gray, inhospitable place? The only time I've ever seen people lingering in this part of the park is during the annual 9/11 memorial service.

So here's a simple suggestion: why not replace the gravel with grass? It would be a good start towards reclaiming some of this valuable space.