Hoboken Opens Expanded Southwest Resiliency Park

Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Councilman Ruben Ramos, and community members gathered this week to open the expanded Southwest Resiliency Park, a project that doubles the park’s size while combining recreation with stormwater management.

The new one-acre expansion includes six pickleball courts, a basketball court, a playground, picnic tables, a splash pad, swings, shade structures, restrooms, and a social plaza. Officials noted that the park design was shaped by resident input through public meetings and surveys.

In addition to recreation, the park serves as part of Hoboken’s climate resiliency strategy. The expansion can detain up to 260,000 gallons of stormwater, reducing flood risk in a low-lying section of the city. Together with the original park, the site can now store up to 460,000 gallons during storms.

Mayor Bhalla said, “The expansion of Southwest Resiliency Park is a major step forward in fulfilling [Hoboken’s] promise, transforming a flood-prone area into a vibrant urban oasis and a national model for how cities can adapt to climate change while enhancing the day-to-day lives of residents.”

Councilman Ramos, who represents the Fourth Ward, emphasized the project’s personal significance. “I remember when this area was just an underutilized parking lot. To see it today transformed into a park with a new playground, basketball court, and pickleball courts that families can enjoy together is a major win for the Fourth Ward and the whole Hoboken community,” Ramos said.

The expansion is part of the Rebuild by Design–Hudson River Project and was financed through grants and trust funds, including support from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund, the Green Acres Program, and more than $6.24 million in federal grants.