82 FIEST COU^'TY PAEK SYSTEM 



NUCLEUS OF XEWARK PARK. 



Willie the question as to tlie general policy of the board 

 was yet undecided^ there seemed to be no doubt 

 that the Branch Brook reservoir property should be- 

 come the nucleus of the central park for Xewark. The loca- 

 tion was central — although far north of the center of the 

 large population in ^v'ewark. The tract belonging to the 

 city, had in December, 1899, owing largely to the active 

 efforts of the Roseville Improvement Association, Charles 

 H. Pell and others, been transferred by the Aqueduct 

 Board to the Common Council, and a few days later v\-a3 

 dedicated to park purposes and came under the control of 

 the Board of Works — ^the right being reserved to use such 

 part of it as necessary for reservoir purposes. There had 

 been more or less agitation in favor of having the transfer 

 of this tract made to the Park Commission. The Mayor 

 recommended it and the press favored it. It was ''as good 

 a place to begin with as any, and all should help hasten the 

 development of the pai'k system. Let there be some practi- 

 cal results shown as soon as possible."' That was the way 

 The Call put forth its claims for a park site to public favor. 

 The tract as transferred contained about sixty acres. Ad- 

 joining on the easterly side, within the park site soon after- 

 ward chosen, were many residences, always very costly in 

 acquirement for park uses. But the reservoir property was 

 already in municipal control and held for park improve- 

 ment, and in July, 1895, was transferred by the Xewark 

 Board of Street and Water Commissioners to the Park 

 Commission, 



At the board meeting of July 18 the landscape architect 

 and engineers were requested to prepare a map indicating 

 their best judgment as to the lines for a Branch Brook 

 Park. The lines soon afterward recommended, did not 

 then, as now, include either the central or northern divi- 

 sions, and on the north extended only as far as Fifth ave- 

 nue. This plan was approved July 30, 1895. 



The subject of a county bond issue for the parks was also 



