There is a lot of excitement and anticipation connected to the Essex Hudson Greenway – for kids as well as adults.
In July of 2022, ReUrban, a non-profit organization that aims to empower young children with opportunities to reshape their communities through urban design, collaborated with Succeed2gether, a local youth engagement organization, to run an 8-day Urban Design Summer Workshop. The workshop targeted local 3rd to 9th graders to foster engagement with pressing questions of how to make their community more vibrant and environmentally sustainable. Using tools and creative freedom, they envision their own ideal community-oriented design on the Essex Hudson Greenway, a local redevelopment project that will transform an abandoned railway into a linear park from Montclair to Jersey City.
Yuki Kishimoto, the founder of ReUrban and lecturer of the workshop, expressed enthusiasm about the strenuous yet rewarding opportunity to connect with children spanning half a decade in age difference and the potential impact on the young participants’ perspectives in civic engagement. He said, “I formed an unbounded bond with them, just as I envision forming a new vibrant community, connecting everyone and several towns, with diverse backgrounds through their creative proposals.”
The exhibition consists of the students’ envisioned sketches and handmade models, offering insights into the creative and educational strategies to inspire the next generation of community leaders. ReUrban looks forward to future collaborations and initiatives that empower young minds to be active contributors to the positive transformation of their communities.
Throughout the month of January, the exhibition will be held in the glass case on the first floor of the Main Library, (50 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair).