By: Richard L. Smith
In an exciting collaboration between local government, community members, and students from one of New Jersey's premier performing arts schools, I was on hand with school an city officials in East Orange on Saturday, September 14th, to celebrate the official opening of Memorial Skate Park, one of the region's few skate parks.
The park, which overlooks I-280 and the East Orange Public Library, now features vibrant murals painted on all the skate ramps, bringing an artistic flair to what is expected to be the community's crown jewel.
The honorable Mayor Ted Green, along with other city officials, kicked off the "Skate Jam" event to unveil the new murals, which teen artists created from the Mayor's Summer Experience Work Program (SWEP).
Yes, the park buzzed with excitement as skaters from East Orange and as far away as Lincoln Park, NJ, gathered to celebrate this creative fusion of arts and sports.
Mark Cheatham from the Department of Planning and Development spoke about the park's importance to the community.
"This is a pleasure to have in the community, and East Orange shares the pride around the North Jersey area. As you see, so many are coming from far away, using the nearby NJ Transit Morris-Essex train stop in East Orange to get here to skate. It's so exciting, and the murals add that extra touch," Cheatham said.
Ms. Eve Piechowski traveled from Lincoln Park, NJ, to be part of the exciting launch of the East Orange skate park and to see the murals designed by students from Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts.
She expressed her amazement and explained that she chose this park because her son, Alan, is a big fan of the new East Orange attraction.
"As a skater, there are very few skate parks in the region, and I love coming to East Orange because it's convenient, clean, and safe," Piechowski told RLS Media.
"I prefer this park, and I’m really happy they got the high school students involved in creating the murals for the skate ramps."
The project was made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Students in Ms. Cristina Wulff's animation class at Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts spent several months preparing for the event from early spring through the summer.
Julia Thomas, Layelle Johnson, Ashley Brown, and Jayson Cheek created the murals under Wulff's direction.
Layelle Johnson, an 11th-grade scholar artist, attended the event with her parents and shared her thoughts on the experience. "We worked with professionals to get this done, and I'm so happy I was chosen to leave a lasting impact on the East Orange community that I love," Johnson said.
"It took several months and was challenging, but we applied the principles taught in class by Ms. Wulff to really add a special touch to this piece. The merger between arts and sports is needed in this world, and this is a great way to kickstart something different in East Orange."
One of the professionals Johnson referred to was Ms. Elina Rosenblum, an artist from Manufacturer's Village in East Orange, who helped guide the students.
The murals, featuring bold, vibrant patterns capturing skateboard culture, were first conceptualized digitally before being brought to life on the skate park's ramps.
"I am so proud of our young people," said Mayor Ted Green. "They were empowered to think outside of the box and create a dynamic atmosphere for this skate park, which easily attracts skate enthusiasts from across our region and New York. The proximity to our train stations is a great asset and makes coming here safe and convenient."
Ms. Wulff, the animation instructor, praised the dedication and creativity of her students.
"We were out every day during the summer, and they didn't miss a day. They were here on time, worked hard, and came up with these amazing designs. They took instruction, and they got it done gorgeously for you guys. I appreciate the kids."
In addition to the National Endowment for the Arts, the event was supported by corporate sponsors, including Hue Skateboards, NJ Skate Shop, Underground Skate Shop, Subject Skate Co., AllIKnowIsGoon (AIKIG), and Emerica, making this collaborative project a reality.
