A breakthrough year for revitalization effort
Coalition moves forward with historical markers, park archway
BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer
As the Jamesburg Revitalization Coalition reflects on a productive past year, it is also looking toward the future.

The group has a number of projects in the works, and an array of committees in place to address different areas in which the town can be improved.

"It's been a good year," coalition President Elliott Stroul said. "We've made a lot of progress, and we're enthusiastic about next year. There's a lot going on here. The town is at the right place at the right time."

The coalition is inviting members of the public to its meeting Dec. 27 to discuss upcoming projects and share ideas. On Jan. 30, the group will host a larger, Town Hall meeting that will serve as a brainstorming session.

Last May, a group of three graduate students from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University shared suggestions, as well as findings they gleaned from working with the coalition and residents over several months.

"The plan for Thompson Park is in direct correlation with that study," Stroul said.

In a project slated for the spring, the coalition plans to rejuvenate and beautify the entrance- way of the park, at Forsgate Drive and Route 522, Stroul said. Included in the plans are a stone archway, stamped asphalt and more trees. The group is also planning a barrier that will prevent geese from coming up out of the lake area, he said.

"The county has approved that," Stroul said of the project.

In total, the work is expected to cost about $200,000, according to Stroul.

Another beautification project involves bringing a street clock to the center of town. The clock, of a tower design, is to be placed at Church Street and West Railroad Avenue as part of efforts to bring a more downtown feel to the area.

The coalition's Historic Preservation Committee is also working on a project that will bring a series of identifying markers to the borough's historic sites. The first has been placed at the Buckelew House, now called the Lakeview mansion, according to Hal Soden Jr., the coalition's vice president and chair of its historical preservation committee.

Borough Historian and Councilman Tom Bodall co-chairs the committee.

The next historic marker to be placed is slated for the Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg, at West Church Street and Gatzmer Avenue, where the town's first school stood. Called the James B., or Jamesburg School, it was founded by James Buckelew in 1847 after an African- American boy was not allowed to enroll for school in Monroe Township, according to the Web site, www.Jamesburg.net. Buckelew said at the time that the school would be open to all children. The school became the town's namesake before long.

Markers will be placed one by one over time, as obtaining county approval and sponsorship is a process, Soden said.

"There are plenty of places in town where we could put them," Soden said.

Though there are only a few places left in town that could be considered for the state or national historic registries, Soden said the committee is looking at the possibility of designating a historic district. The district as a whole could be eligible for the registries, he said, or a local one could be created.

Renovations and other changes made to some buildings in town have detracted from their historic value, Soden said. A benefit of creating a historic district would be to encourage property owners to maintain the historic integrity of structures.

"It helps the character of Jamesburg, so that we don't have all types of different buildings," Soden said.

Stroul said the coalition is still working with Main Street U.S.A., an organization that helps municipalities to find and secure grants and other resources to aid revitalization efforts. As participating in the organization as a full-time partner takes more staff and resources than Jamesburg can currently handle, the borough is working with Main Street U.S.A. as a part-time partner, which has still proven beneficial to the coalition's work, Stroul said.

According to Stroul, there is a multitude of plans for the year ahead.

"I have a couple of other things I can't reveal yet," Stroul said.

Recent coalition activities have included a mums and flags campaign, which encouraged local businesses to decorate their storefronts, and the Buckelew 5K run Sept. 8 in Thompson Park, organized by the Health and Fitness Committee.

"We got a lot of people to come into the area who haven't been here before," Stroul said.

Committee Chairwoman Gini Mundy agreed, saying the event drew about 130 participants.

"It was awesome," Mundy said. "There were a lot of families."

Part of the Health and Fitness Committee's goal is to promote Jamesburg as a walking town, Mundy said. Debra De- Marco, who has had a chiropractic practice in town for 25 years, co-chairs the committee.

"It's all about promoting health and wellness in the Jamesburg area, and making it a good place for people to come and walk," Mundy said. "It's a great little town, and we're trying to revitalize that idea, that it's a safe, nice area for people to come. It's just that small town feel, that old hometown feel."

Other coalition committees address areas such as beautification, the coalition Web site, and media and publicity.

The coalition's Dec. 27 meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in Borough Hall at 131 Perrineville Road. The official monthly meeting is held on the last Wednesday of the month, but it was changed to Thursday because of the holiday. For more information, visit the coalition Web site at www.ilovejamesburg.com or e-mail Stroul at ilovejamesburg@ aol.com.