“Porch on Walnut” Official Opening September 15th New Public Space on Walnut Street, Montclair Mayor Robert Jackson to Cut Ribbon
MONTCLAIR NJ – Local nonprofit, Bike&Walk Montclair announced today that the opening ribbon cutting ceremony for the new community space dubbed, “Porch on Walnut” will take place this Saturday, September 15, at noon. Montclair Mayor Robert Jackson will officiate.
The new, seasonal public space, also called a, “parklet,” was constructed last weekend in front of Walnut Street restaurants Corso 98 and Red Eye Cafe with the help of a host of volunteers and local businesses. Two parking spaces have been transformed into a beautiful neighborhood gathering spot, complete with seating, planters, pergola and bike rack. A project of the non-profit advocacy group, Bike&Walk Montclair, the wooden structure is designed to encourage community building and interaction.
Parklets first appeared in Montclair two years ago on Glen Ridge Avenue in a pilot program funded by the Montclair Center BID and Bike&Walk Montclair. Last May the Montclair Town Council unanimously passed a resolution to permit the construction of two seasonal parklets, one downtown sponsored by the BID and one sponsored by Bike&Walk Montclair on Walnut St.
Multiple businesses partners, community groups and volunteers pitched in with generous donations and in-kind support to bring the parklet to life including Mulvey Custom Construction LLC, The Northeast Earth Coalition, Madlab LLC, West Essex Building Supply, Corso 98 and Red Eye Cafe.
The Porch on Walnut St will host a variety of art and music events throughout October.
“The Porch on Walnut St is a community-building project that reclaims a small piece of street pavement to create a public space open to everyone. It invites us to connect with our neighbors and build the personal ties and spirit that make Montclair such a unique and wonderful town. Bike&Walk Montclair is excited to be able to bring this to our community. It’s a great example of what can happen when we re-imagine our streetscapes as public places for people.”
“The ‘Porch on Walnut’ is a great example of what we call place-making. The whole project was designed to bring people together, first in the collaborative process of imagining and building the space, in the design which encourages people to stop and connect with other members of the community and finally in the ways we will use it, as a focus for neighborhood interaction.”
Supporters can donate to the parklet project through an online fundraising campaign created by Bike&Walk Montclair.
About Bike&Walk Montclair:
Bike&Walk Montclair advocates for policies, programs, and street designs that make Montclair a better place to bike, walk, and live. Our organization works to re-imagine our streets by advocating for infrastructure and working to optimize access to public spaces that help build community and enhance quality of life for everyone.
About Parklets:
A parklet is a small public space that is designed to foster neighborhood interaction and promote a sense of place. They are a way of re-imaginings streets as public resources centered around people rather than vehicles. Parklets are part of a growing national movement of place-making and can be found in local communities including Newark, Summit, Millburn and Westfield.
