Welcome Message from Coach Hurley
Dear Jersey City Friends & Neighbors,
This website is dedicated to giving you the truth about what’s happening at Liberty State Park, and the real status of our fight for regulation-sized athletic fields, and a true community park for the residents of our city.
For too long, Jersey City families and seniors have been misled, excluded, and let down regarding the future of Liberty State Park. It ends now.
While the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has held many public meetings and online opportunities for input, their process has NOT been responsive to the community’s needs – particularly the minority communities in our city.
We must make our voices heard! Encourage your family, friends and neighbors to join this fight on behalf of all Jersey City residents.
Sincerely,
Bob Hurley
President, The People’s Park Foundation
Jersey City Residents Speak Out
The FACTS about Liberty State Park
Jersey City is one of the largest cities in New Jersey – with nearly 300,000 residents – yet we still lack even one community center that serves our families
Jersey City’s schools do not have a single dedicated sports field, forcing young athletes to train on overburdened and deteriorating facilities
Roughly 240 acres of Liberty State Park remain fenced off and contaminated – off limits to the very community that it should be serving
Despite the park spanning over 600 acres, NJ Department of Environmental Protection officials say there is no room for regulation-sized athletic fields
What a true “People’s Park” would look like:
A long-promised community center to provide safe, educational, and recreational opportunities for our youth and families
Multi-purpose athletic fields that give our children the same opportunities as those in surrounding towns
A fully transparent and inclusive planning process that prioritizes the voices of Jersey City residents – not outside interests
About Coach Bob Hurley
A lifelong resident of Jersey City, legendary Coach Bob Hurley currently serves as President of the People’s Park Foundation, where he is working alongside a diverse group of community leaders from across Jersey City to help create a Liberty State Park for ALL.
The former Head Basketball Coach at Saint Anthony High School, Coach Hurley led the program to 28 state championships and earned national recognition for both athletic excellence and character development. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 as one of only three high school coaches ever to receive that honor.
Following the closure of St. Anthony’s in 2017, he founded the Hurley Family Foundation to continue his mission of providing free basketball training and after-school programming that teaches young people the values of discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Today, Coach Hurley remains a guiding force for youth in Jersey City, using sports as a vehicle for opportunity, growth, and lasting change.
Join Jersey City’s fight for fields at Liberty State Park!
Sign up today and show your support for a Liberty State Park for ALL that reflects the priorities, values, and voices of the local community.