The Blackwood West
Neighborhood Preservation Program
A Neighborhood Preservation Program grant has been awarded to Gloucester Township for the Blackwood West Neighborhood.
The Neighborhood Committee meets on the third Monday every month
at the Blackwood Fire House on Central Ave. at 7:00 PM.
December Meeting Cancelled, Next Meeting January 18, 2010
Blackwood West neighbors are invited to attend.
The Committee has been meeting monthly to discuss the changes needed to improve the Blackwood West business district and the surrounding neighborhood. Street scape improvements like sidewalks, curbs, brick pavers, lighting, benches and trees are being planned. To that end the Township has applied for an additional grant from Department of Transportation. There is also a plan to improve parking and traffic along the Black Horse Pike. A program to provide some kind of incentive to business owners to improve their building facades is also in the works.
The first accomplishment of the Committee was the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers at Harwan Park and in front of the Library and Academy Hall. The most substantial project however, is the establishment of the very sucessful Farmers Market in downtown Blackwood. Committee Chairperson Gloria Paquarello along with Market Chairperson Dave Chew have done an outstanding job in bringing the Farmers Market to life. Other dedicated committee people who make the Market possible every week include Charlie and Isabel Miller, Lisa and John Bennett, Stephanie Roberts, Walt Spain, Pat Ciarrocchi, Ed Holding and Tonya Hoelke.
Farmer's Market Update - It was a very successful first season, Farmers and Patrons were very pleased. The committee will contnue to meet and make plans for next year. Anyone interested in joining the committee or participating in the Market can contact farmersmarket@glotwp.com.
Program Backround
The Program which is administered through the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs was established as the result of the passage of the Maintenance of Viable Neighborhoods Act in1975. This law provides a program of financial assistance to municipalities for the preservation of threatened but still viable neighborhoods.
The boundaries which will define the Blackwood West neighborhood are Haines Avenue on the north, Black Horse Pike on the east, Marshall Avenue on the south and the Blackwood Lake on the west. The neighborhood was chosen because of several standard criterion. The neighborhood possesses good housing stock, schools and churches, recreational facilities, retail outlets, professional offices and an overall neighborhood cohesiveness while still being in need of improvement.
The NP Program encourages municipalities to undertake certain activities which will arrest deterioration and preserve threatened neighborhoods. These activities may include but are not limited to: land acquisition, construction, reconstruction, remodeling, restoration, or repair of residential housing in order to restore it to sound condition, code enforcement, demolition, expansion of public services and public facilities or installation of public works facilities and site improvements. Some of the components of the program will be home improvement grants, sidewalk upgrades, street improvements, neighborhood amenities, and business incentives.
The primary objective of the Program is to stabilize and improve a specific neighborhood. The activities should be designed to bring together local and state government, neighborhood residents, private businesses and other institutions in a common effort to restore a favorable climate for investment and to improve the quality of life for the residents of the neighborhood.
The program requires a planning period to determine just what the needs of the neighborhood are. Residents will be very important to that planning process. Surveys will be conducted to determine just what residents think of the neighborhood and where they think improvement is needed. These surveys are extremely important to the planning process and it is suggested that every resident participate if possible. Residents will also see an inspector in the neighborhood conducting a housing conditions survey.
