Volume LXX, Number 24
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Council Approves Plan For New Design Concept Of Mary Moss Playground
In All in a Day’s Work, Desk Manager of the Nassau Inn Kyle Damm Talks About “Reading People” . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Coalition for Peace Action to Discuss Vigil In Response to Orlando . . 9 New Play at Pennington School Written, Acted and Produced by Alumni . . 18 Princeton Festival Puts Emphasis on Britten . 19 Farrell Ends 39-Year Run as PU Women’s Track Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 PHS Birnie Takes 4th in Pole Vault With PR . . . 29
Celebrating Ali, Keats, and the Louisville Connection . . . . . . . . 12 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 25 Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Classified Ads . . . . . . . 35 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Music/Theater . . . . . . 18 New to Us . . . . . . . . . . 26 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 34 Police Blotter . . . . . . . . 6 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 35 Service Directory . . . . 36 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Princeton Council voted unanimously Monday night for a plan to renovate the Mary Moss Park and Playground in the Witherspoon/Jackson neighborhood. Identified as a priority in 2008 and in development by a subcommittee for the past two-and-a-half years, the plan calls for removal of the existing wading pool, adding a “spray ground,” new landscaping, and possibly some game tables and a performance area. Central to the proposal is a plan to maintain the legacy of Mary B. Moss, who played a vital role in the creation of the playground 70 years ago. That was a concern of some members of the public who voiced their opinions before the Council cast their unanimous vote in favor of the plan. “To many, she is more important than Paul Robeson,” said neighborhood resident Leighton Newlin. “Mary Moss is a legendary Princetonian. When the playground was built in 1946, it was the only place African Americans could play.” Ben Stentz, the town’s recreation director, stressed that honoring Ms. Moss’s contributions has always been paramount, and neighborhood residents will be asked for input on how that should best be done. “We want to get that right,” he said. Mr. Stentz headed a committee that included other members of the recreation department, municipal staff, some local residents, and The RBA Group, Inc. as design consultants. Through feedback gathered at two public meetings, email, and other communications, the committee concluded that residents wanted more space for the playground, more seating areas, and better landscaping. Funding from Mercer County is paying for the expansion. The town bought a lot next to the park with open space funds. A second lot was supposed to be part of the expansion, but is instead being used for one unit of affordable housing. Some who spoke asked Council to delay finalizing a design, hoping to shift the design slightly so that a second affordable unit could fit onto that adjacent property. The town should be able to raise money to fit in a second affordable unit, said Maple Street resident Alexi Assmus. “We can raise money for the five-story hospital, so why can’t we raise money for affordable housing?” she asked. John Heilner of Library Place, a member of a group called Continued on Page 10
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Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Public Invited to Discuss Improving Nassau Street
At first glance, the restaurants, storefronts, and wooden benches that line Nassau Street present a pleasing picture. But a closer look reveals problems — heaving sidewalks, unsightly tree wells, and areas where space is not sensibly allocated. It has been decades since Princeton created a plan for Nassau Street, and the town is gearing up to do a new study. A big part of the plan is public input. On Saturday, June 18, officials are hoping that members of the community will drop by Nassau Street’s Garden Theatre for an interactive open house, being held from 9 a.m. to noon, to learn about what is proposed and offer suggestions. “People don’t have to stay for the whole thing. It’s very interactive,” said Deanna Stockton, Princeton’s assistant municipal engineer. “They can drop in. We want their help on how to re-envision and reenergize the street.” The town is working with consultants Looney Ricks Kiss (LRK), a Princeton planning firm, on the project. LRK will set up displays related to subjects such as different seating options. One proposal for an area where the sidewalk is wide
is to provide face-to-face seating instead of benches parallel to the curb and facing buildings. “It would become more of a conversation area rather than just a people-watching area,” Ms. Stockton said. Different paving options will be explored, with stones people can examine. Outside the theater, a tree well will be “greened up,” Ms. Stockton said, to show one option for greenery. Some placement of outdoor seating and dining will be displayed. Inside, simulations of some other conditions will be shown on a screen, and community members will be asked to vote
on the changes they would like to see. Princeton Council member Jo Butler has been vocal on more than one occasion about the deteriorating condition of Nassau Street. She is hoping that the open house will be the first step in creating a document that has implications beyond that roadway. “I’d like to see a unified plan that will work for Nassau Street, and hopefully we can play off of that on Witherspoon Street as well,” she said. The lack of a unified plan for Witherspoon Continued on Page 14
Shade Tree Commission Presents Report, Urges Council to Combat Emerald Ash Borer The Princeton Shade Tree Commission (STC) and the Town Council are teaming up to combat an infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a beetle that has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in 25 states since its arrival in the U.S. in 2002. At Monday’s Council meeting, the STC presented an extensive report, providing information on the tree population, the
state’s recommended management options, and cost projections to address the EAB outbreak. “It’s a huge concern, not just for Princeton, but for the whole United States,” stated Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert. “It will have a huge impact on our ecosystem.” The STC will hold an information session on the EAB for Princeton residents Continued on Page 14
“A FORCE, ALWAYS”: These were the words used by one of this week’s Town Talkers to describe Larry Ivan’s presence in the community, which he made “a more fun place to be for so many people .” The unveiling of the bronze bas relief portrait of Mr . Ivan created by Princeton sculptor Stephanie Magdziak took place at Community Park Pool, where he served as manager for more than 40 years . (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)
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